Gordon C. James

Charlotte-based artist Gordon C. James is well-known for his life-sized oil paintings. Yet some may not know that James is also an award-winning illustrator of children’s books. His latest collaboration with author Derrick Barnes just made Oprah’s summer reading list. The duo’s 2017 book, Crown: an Ode to the Fresh Cut (Bolden/Millner, 2017), recounting the elevating effect of a boy’s visit to the barber, received several medals in children’s literature, including Newbery, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honors.  It was named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR among others.

The themes of “self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel” with a new hair cut are portrayed by James’ illustrations of the barber shop interior with its throne-like chair. James states that in his illustrations he seeks “to put things in books that he would love to see on a wall in a museum” and his vibrant illustrations are developed with the same care as his oil paintings. 

Years of portrait studies and drawings from life lend his characters an emotional resonance that lets readers “know how the characters look and, more importantly, exactly how they feel.” James and Barnes’ newest book, I Am Every Good Thing (Penguin/Paulson, 2020), has already garnered accolades, and delves further into how to create realistic and positive self-imagery for African American boys. Barnes notes that covers of children’s books geared towards black readers may often fall into stereotypes and adds:  “I think it‘s imperative that we define who we are.  It’s so important that we tell our own stories. The model for the cover of I Am Every Good Thing is inspired by James’ son Gabriel and the book’s Kirkus review states: “through every stroke readers will see that Black boys are ‘worthy / to be loved.’” 

Born in Washington, DC and raised in Fort Washington, Maryland, Gordon James has been pursuing an art career ever since attending high school at Suitland Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Forestville, Maryland. From there he went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. James lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife Ingrid and their two children Astrid and Gabriel. He is proud to create beautiful works of art that help to tell stories and bring books to life. 

Gordon C. James