Van Taylor Monroe III facts for kids

Van Taylor Monroe III, also known as Van Monroe, is a talented African-American artist. He is famous for creating unique, hand-painted sneakers. His most well-known artwork is the "Obama '08" sneakers. These special shoes were even asked for by the Smithsonian Institution. They are now part of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Van Monroe has many famous clients and often designs shoes to help promote big movies.

About Van Monroe's Life

Van Monroe was born and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He went to Miami University in Ohio. There, he first studied graphic design before changing his major to psychology.

How Van Monroe Started Painting Sneakers

Monroe began painting sneakers in 2003 while he was still in college. He painted them for himself and for his football teammates. After college, he worked for a paint company called Sherwin Williams. Then, he worked for a shipping company. In 2007, he decided to leave that job to focus on his art career.

Van Monroe's Art and Travel

In 2018, Van Monroe spent a summer working as a featured artist. This was for the Cleveland Museum of Art's mobile art studio, called Studio Go. He has also traveled to Africa. There, he taught painting at the Academie des Beaux-Arts in Kinshasa, DRC.

Van Monroe's Art Career

His artwork, "Obama ’08," became very popular online in 2008. It was a pair of Nike sneakers. They were hand-painted with a picture of former President Barack Obama. The shoes also had quotes from him. Van Monroe later gave these sneakers to the Smithsonian. They are now shown in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

Famous People Who Own Van Monroe's Art

Since then, many famous people have asked Van Monroe to create custom art for them. This long list includes:

• Valérie Trierweiler
• Spike Lee
• Afeni Shakur
• Will.i.am
• Hill Harper
• Queen Latifah
• Nicki Minaj
• Ray Romano
• Tiësto
• Jennifer Lopez
• Carmelo and LaLa Anthony
• Josh Hutcherson

Van Monroe's Work for Movies

Major film companies have also hired Van Monroe. He creates custom sneakers to help promote Hollywood movies. Some of these movies include Ice Age: Continental Drift and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Van Monroe's Current Work

Today, Van Monroe lives in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. He runs a company there called VTM Creative. This company focuses on advertising and branding.

Famous Artworks by Van Monroe

Obama '08 Sneakers

His most famous artwork is the "Obama '08" sneakers. These are custom Nike Air Force 1s. He hand-painted them with a picture of Barack Obama. The shoes also have the words "CHANGE" and "YES WE CAN." Monroe has said he was inspired after watching Obama's speeches. This was after Obama won the Iowa Caucus during his first run for president.

What Is That in Thine Hand? Mural

In 2011, Monroe painted a large mural in Cleveland, Ohio. It is on the wall of St. Adalbert Catholic School. The mural shows two African-American children. Monroe said the idea for this mural came from a Bible passage, Exod 4:2. This passage is written at the bottom of the mural. This mural is one of eight murals from the "Community Mural Project." This project was created by the Cleveland Foundation.

Where to Find Van Monroe's Art

His "Obama '08" sneakers are part of the permanent collection. They are at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, DC. His art has also been shown in the Manifest Hope Gallery. This gallery was located inside the Andenken Gallery in Denver, Colorado.