Amy Sherald: Baker Artist Awardee

In 2018, Amy Sherald became a Baker Artist Awardee and was honored with the prestigious Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize. At $40,000 this is the largest art prize in the region. Sherald’s work was recognized for its mastery of craft, depth of artistic exploration, and unique and compelling vision.

Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance (GBCA), which operates the Baker Artist Portfolios program and the associated awards, and the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund, are thrilled that Amy Sherald: American Sublime is now at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA). Seven years ago, a handful of Sherald's portraits, painted in Baltimore, hung on the walls of the BMA in the Baker Artist Awards Exhibition. Now, some of these same paintings have returned to the museum as part of this monumental exhibition, making its way across the country. 

While Amy Sherald no longer lives in Baltimore, her work is linked to and reflects the profound vision, artistry, perseverance, joy, and strength of Baltimore's arts community. We are proud that The Baker Artist Portfolios was able to play a role in her meteoric rise and committed to supporting, promoting, and celebrating the wonderful artists in Greater Baltimore.

A Homecoming at the Baltimore Museum of Art

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has welcomed home one of its own with Amy Sherald: American Sublime, a major mid-career survey which opened November 2. Featuring around 40 paintings from 2007 to 2024—including iconic works like her Michelle Obama portrait, Breonna Taylor memorial, and the award-winning Miss Everything—the exhibition traces Sherald’s rise as one of today’s most influential figurative painters. 

"Amy's story is also deeply intertwined with Baltimore. Beyond her education and time lived in our beloved city,                  
Baltimore is rooted in her subjects, on her canvases, and in her titles," said Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director. “Presenting American Sublime at the BMA is a celebration of our creative community and a joyful reunion with those shaped by Amy’s extraordinary power to connect. We’re thrilled to share her transformational work with our visitors.”

American Sublime stands as a joyful homecoming and celebration of her extraordinary impact. See it before it closes on April 5, 2026.

Click here to read entire press release from the Baltimore Museum of Art.