Aaron Caldwell was born and raised in Fresno, California. He graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a BA in general studio art in 2019, and is currently in the MS in Art Education graduate program at Illinois State University. His first art class was Ceramics in Fall 2016 his Junior year in college. Immediately after, he decided to change his major from Elementary Education and pursue the arts. He primarily works in ceramics, but has extensive skill and knowledge in metal/jewelry making. He was recently awarded as one of the 2021 Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artists, the 2019 NCECA Multicultural Fellowship award, 2019-2020 Northern Clay Center Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award and actively exhibits work in various galleries and museums across the United States.
Aaron has always been passionate about education, and has recently gained a growing passion for the arts, and believes the schools and communities that serve Black and Brown youth need access and opportunities for art making and engaging experiences. Aaron plans on helping create and sustain art making and engaging programs in primarily Black communities, in hopes of encouraging these communities to pursue art as a field of interest or a personal hobby because Black communities deserve art (funding and spaces) too.