About the Artist
Kaleema Lewis is a self-taught visual artist from Jersey City, New Jersey who has been drawing and sketching since about 6 years of age. However, her painting journey started in 2015 when someone purchased a painting she randomly posted on social media. Since then, she has been inspired to create and sell new art pieces at a popup shop in Newark, where she managed to raise enough money to pay for half of her tuition for medical school. She currently holds an undergraduate degree in Biology and a Master degree in Public Health. Creating art has been internally driven as she has never received any formal training in drawing/painting. She considers her ability to create art as a purposeful gift that has been given to her by God.
In 2020, Kaleema launched her business, Kaleema Lewis Art, which is currently a registered Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and certified Minority/Women- Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the state of New Jersey. KLA is a collection of paintings that were inspired by Kaleema’s desire to bring forth true authentic beauty through an expressive visual experience of Afrocentric-ness with a twist of urban flare. KLA is also influenced by her Caribbean heritage.
Exhibitions
2024- “Queendom” Solo Black History Month Art Exhibition, Hosted by CryOut Cave- Newark, New Jersey
2023- Mission 50’s October Solo Art Exhibition- Hoboken, New Jersey
2019- “Queendom” Solo Exhibition, Hosted by CryOut Cave- Newark, New Jersey
Publications
2024 Exhibizone Exhibition- Venus 2024 Group Exhibition (“That Girl, Dalis”- Original Painting)
2022 Diversia- UN Calendar Public Choice Award Winner (“Beloved”- Original Painting)
2022 People Exhibition and Publication: Group Exhibition, Organized by Gallerium (“Beloved”- Original Painting)
2022 Artistonish Magazine: Issue #28 (“Sophisticated”- Original Painting)
2022 Diversia 29th UN Calendar (Group Exhibition), Organized by Exhibizone (“Beloved”- Original Painting)
2022 Biafarin Awards Group Exhibition (“Sophisticated”- Original Painting)
2022 Artistonish Magazine: Issue #27 (“Beloved”- Original Painting)
2022 Emptiness (Group Exhibition), Organized by Exhibizone, page 104 (“Electric”- Original Painting)
2022 Cancer: Never Give Up Exhibition and Publication, page 86, Organized by Gallerium (“Electric”- Original Painting)