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.
EXHIBITIONS
2025- Black Girl Art Show at the Brooklyn Navy Yard- Brooklyn, New York
2024- “Queendom” Solo Black History Month Art Exhibition, Hosted by CryOut Cave- Newark, New Jersey
2023- Black Girl Art Show at 99 Scott Studio- Brooklyn, New York
2023- Mission 50’s October Solo Art Exhibition- Hoboken, New Jersey
2023- Black Girl Art Show at The Arts Ballroom- Philadelphia, PA
2023- Black Art Matters at 563 Sterling Place- Brooklyn, New York
2022- Black Girl Art Show at Samuell Riggs IV Alumni Center- College Park, Maryland
2019- “Queendom” Solo Exhibition, Hosted by CryOut Cave- Newark, New Jersey
MEDIA
2024- Channel 12 News Black History Month (Art Segment Exhibition) - Hosted by CryOut Cave- Newark, New Jersey
PUBLICATIONS
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)