Artist Amy Sherald Honored as 2023 Woman of Consequence

The Bryn Mawr School honored artist Amy Sherald with the 2023 Howard P. Colhoun Family Woman of Consequence Award. Rising to fame after being selected by former First Lady Michelle Obama to paint her official portrait, Sherald is one of the leading Black artists in the country today. Through her work, Sherald engages with the history of photography and portraiture, inviting viewers to participate in a more complex debate about accepted notions of race and representation, and to situate Black life centrally in American art. 

The Howard P. Colhoun Family Woman of Consequence Award, named in honor of a loyal Bryn Mawr volunteer leader, inspires the next generation of changemakers by celebrating and supporting women who have used their voices and actions to make positive contributions to the world. Previous recipients have been Rebecca Corbett P’05, Investigations Editor at The New York Times, and Dr. Redonda G. Miller P’23, President, The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

After meeting with Upper School students and faculty, Sherald accepted the award during a private event on campus. During the program, Joyce Kuhns ’75, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Woman of Consequence Award Committee Chair, reflected on how Ms. Sherald’s work exemplifies the meaning of living a considered and consequential life. “Amy, in recognition of your incredible achievements as an artist and your work to expand representation in American portraiture, we honor you. You embody the tenets of curiosity, compassion, and resilience. Your art, your engagement, and your activism set an example for young women everywhere to use their voices and passions for good.”

Art historian Jennifer Bedford P’27, ’30 led a conversation with Sherald discussing Sherald’s career trajectory, experiences meeting with President and First Lady Obama, and her signature techniques of using neutral skin tones while painting her figures against bright and bold backgrounds. Sherald also stressed the importance of relying on one’s own intuition—whether that’s a college choice or selecting paint colors. 

Sherald also offered advice for students and women of all ages as they become agents of change: “Stay true to yourself, that's the most important thing you can do,” she said. “Always look to send the elevator back down when you get up. Always look to your left and to your right to see who else you can take with you. That kind of community building is important."