Shiferaw Girma was born and educated in Addis Ababa. He realized his passion early in life and pursued creative expression in a singular and dedicated manner. At the University of Addis Ababa, he explored graphic arts, painting, and sculpture, finally settling on painting as the best medium for expressing his personal vision.

For the decade following his formal education, Shiferaw worked in his studio, producing works that were shown in museums, galleries, and other venues and were collected by institutions and individuals. In addition to painting, Shiferaw traveled extensively throughout Ethiopia and Africa, immersing himself in the activities and culture of ordinary people. In this way, his work in the studio became suffused with images of human dignity.

Since moving to the United States in 2002, Shiferaw continues to draw on the palette of Ethiopian life. His work reflects his deep exposure to the work of his contemporaries and to the history of Ethiopian art. Working mostly in acrylics, Shiferaw has developed a mature style that refers to Ethiopia in abstract imagery that includes the observer in his own experience.