About the Artist

Kaleema Lewis is a self-taught visual artist from Jersey City, New Jersey, who has been drawing and sketching since the age of six. However, her painting journey began in 2015 when someone purchased a painting she had randomly posted on social media. Since then, she has been inspired to create and sell new art pieces, including at a pop-up shop in Newark, where she raised enough money to cover half of her medical school tuition.

She holds an undergraduate degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Public Health. Her passion for art has been entirely self-driven, as she has never received formal training in drawing or painting. She considers her artistic ability a purposeful gift from God.

In 2020, Kaleema launched Kaleema Lewis Art (KLA), which is now a registered Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and a certified Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in New Jersey. KLA is a collection of paintings inspired by Kaleema’s desire to showcase authentic beauty through an expressive visual experience of Afrocentrism blended with urban flair. Her work is also deeply influenced by her Caribbean heritage.