Shamar Knight-Justice is currently the Principal of Ethos Classical, an elementary school focused on the intersection of joy, rigor, and the humanity of its students. He has been an educator for 15 years, and is inspired daily by the stories and imaginations of his students. His artwork focuses on mixed media, and unique textures and patterns. In his work, he uses different mediums to build interest in his characters, and add complexity to their personalities. He intentionally highlights Black children in his work because he believes that the fullness of their identities should be displayed, and are often overlooked in picture books.
The Journey: My Path to Publishing – As an educator and avid reader, I have a mild obsession with books. In order to have children fall in love with beautiful texts, I have to model what it looks like to engage in rich stories and uncover relatable characters. Being in education for the past 15 years, I’ve always had amazing books within an arm’s reach, to either pick up and hand it to the child in front of me, or to keep it for my own enjoyment. I’ve always wanted to be a part of creating stories that people got lost in, as both a writer and illustrator, but I never slowed down enough to actually think about what that meant for me. Well, not until the pandemic. While the pandemic was devastating in so many ways, it created a quiet that allowed me to retap into gifts I had not explored for years. My wife gifted me with an i-Pad for Christmas in 2020, and I used that quiet to sketch and paint and hone my craft. I started posting my work on Instagram and caught the eye of a previous co-worker, Ain Heath Drew, who took a chance on me for her debut picture book, Ari J.’s Kinky Curly Crown. My passion for art, combined with a desire to see more Black children represented in picture books, propelled me into the publishing world. A few months after the first Ari J. book was published, I signed with Christy Ewers at The Cat Agency.
The Process: How I Work – Over the years, I’ve refinied my process to have a more consistent style (it still fluctuates a little bit depending on the tone of the manuscript). At the start of my process, I lean heavy into character design to get a feel for the main protagonist. I’ll sketch the character dozens of times on paper until I find a version that feels right. Once I have a semi-clean sketch of the character on paper, I’ll transfer the image into Procreate to then sketch the character again with a Dry Ink brush I’ve customized. At this point, I’m still messy. I do about 90% of the rest of my work digitally. Once I have a fully clean sketch, I go into my collection of scrap and collage materials, and play around with the finalized look of the character with his or her attire, features, skin texture, etc. Working digitally also helps me with the colors. I’m partially color blind, and Procreate has accessibility features that tell me loosely what color I am using.
The Inspiration: Who What Inspired Me – As an artist, my inspiration comes from the micro-moments I experience with my students every day. I’m constantly listening to their stories, whether it’s the excitement in their voices as they share their latest adventures or the quiet moments when they open up about their dreams. These moments remind me why I create. I want them to see themselves in the art I make and know that being an artist when they get older is just as real of a career as being a dentist or a lawyer. I want them to understand that their creativity has value, and their stories deserve to be told.
In addition to my students, my family is a constant source of inspiration. My younger cousin, Kai, who loves to draw, is always over my shoulder if I’m working near him. Seeing his curiosity and passion fuels my own, reminding me of the power art has to connect us. And then there’s my son, Caiden. He loves to color on my iPad, experimenting with colors and shapes, already embracing his imagination. He’s already learned how to control certain tools on the app. Whenever he spots one of my books on a shelf, he calls it out with pride. That moment never gets old. It’s a reminder that what I create has meaning. Not just for the kids who read my books, but for the people closest to me.
Under the Radar – I spend a lot of time building community, and there are a few amazing artists that inspire me, and also deserve shine. While I could list like 50, three artists with beautifully unique styles are Lance Evans, Aaron Marin, and Islenia Mil. They each have such powerful work that tell emotional narratives and embody dynamic energy.
Learn more about Shamar!
Instagram: @shamarknightjustice
Hooray for teachers – and principals – who find their way to writing through wanting to share just one more thing outside of the classroom. Also excited for how many people found time to slow down during the pandemic – a blessing out of a curse.