Today we’d like to introduce you to Shyheem Gordon.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Thanks to my mother, who noticed my early interest in art, I was always encouraged to draw and create. Much of my education took place in arts magnet programs, which immersed me in creative environments from a young age and fueled my passion for pursuing art as an adult. These programs gave me access to materials and processes that allowed me to explore and experiment in ways I never imagined. By high school, I was creating large-scale oil paintings.
After graduating, I attended the Maryland Institute College of Art, where I earned a Bachelor’s in Painting and a Master’s in Teaching. At MICA, my work grew alongside me, becoming more personal as I explored themes of identity and relationships.
Since then, I’ve exhibited my work in museums and galleries such as the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, and Main Street Arts Gallery in New York. In addition to exhibiting, I began working with youth at Access Art, where I discovered my voice as a teacher. I now teach in the Baltimore County Public School System, at the same art school I once attended.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest was simply being able to afford attending MICA—a dream opportunity that came with real financial pressure.
Then, during my senior year, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The campus shut down, and my classmates and I lost access to the facilities we relied on to complete our work. Our senior thesis show was canceled, which felt like a major setback. We missed the chance to share years of effort with a wider audience and to make meaningful connections with the broader arts community outside of the institution.
My main focus more recently has been on finding my footing as an artist post-grad. In trying to maintain an arts practice, I’ve been grappling with the motive for the work and how that would further develop my artistic voice. Making the work is only half the battle; trying to make the art meaningful is another. Being my biggest critic can make a simple task feel huge, prolonging the entire process. It’s been a tough road navigating the actual art production, searching for exhibitions and opportunities, while simultaneously working full-time in the public school system.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am primarily a painter who specializes in working with acrylic and oil paints. While I have worked with other mediums, I prefer painting. Painting is a forgiving medium that lends itself well to problem-solving on the go. Being able to switch and change direction mid-piece is a crucial part of my process
I am known for sentimental representational pieces that focus on light and reflection and how they fall on familiar spaces.
In direct reference to the idea of home and family ties, these works are grounded in storytelling techniques akin to filmmaking, treating light as characters moving through the spaces.
The pieces I’m most proud of are the ones that freeze a critical moment that is a building block for a story, moments that reflect relationships that are important to me.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is definitely family and the community I am continually building. Having a support system directly impacts the work I make. To me, art making is a social process, engaging with peers, bouncing ideas off one another, and telling stories. Connecting with people is at the core of the work I make, creating conversation between the art and the audience and the art with the artist. Some pieces are born out of a conversation with friends, whereas others are linked to memories of loved ones. Looking at my work, you see the reflections of my community and how important it is to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Shyheemgordon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shyheemg_art/
