ANISSA R. LEWIS
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts, Painting/Printmaking, May 1999, Yale University School of Art, New Haven, CT
Post-Baccalaureate, June 1997, Knox College, Galesburg, IL
Bachelor of Arts, Studio Art, June 1996, Knox College, Galesburg, IL
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
2018 Not to Scale, a two-person show with Mary Clare Rietz, The Carnegie, Covington, KY
2016 Pleasant Street Series, Pique Gallery, Covington, KY
2014 Yemaya and Oshun (Installation), Main Street Display Windows, Cincinnati, OH
tea + clouds, Faculty Office Gallery, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
2009 Lessons Well Learned, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY
2008 From Knox to Now: Redefinition of Self-Portraiture, Knox College, Galesburg, IL
One Step Back, LEAPING FORWARD, Park National Bank Art Gallery, University of Cincinnati - Clermont, Batavia, OH
2007 Reflect. Rise. Repeat., Nordheim Gallery, Covington, KY
GROUP
2020 Resilience 101, Morlan Gallery, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY
Revolutionary: Being American Today, Kennedy Heights Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH
2019 /just to be alive/, 1628 Ltd., Cincinnati, OH
2018 Ohio Artists for Freedoms, Pearlman Gallery, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
25, Fitton Center for the Arts, Hamilton, OH
2017 Little Ink, Fuse Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Miami Regionals Art Faculty, Hanavan Gallery and Figurative Art Studio, Middletown, OH
Art Hop, Hamilton's Main Street Area Association, Hamilton, OH
9x18 Parking Lot Experiment, Wave Pool, Cincinnati, OH
2016 30 Americans Plus...The Region, University of Cincinnati, Meyers Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2015 We, Covington, The Carnegie, Covington, KY
2014 Angels, St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church, Cincinnati, OH
2012 Chocolat Biennal, Prairie Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Interface, Passages Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Multiples: Faculty Exhibition, Pearlman Gallery, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
2010 Porgy to Barack, Dayton Opera Schuster Center, Dayton, OH
426 Raw Walls, Cincinnati, OH
Black Beauty, Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH
Group Exhibition, Duke Energy, Cincinnati, OH
Faculty Exhibition, Pearlman Gallery, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
2008 First Fruit XII, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Sewickley, PA
Introspections, Juried Self-Portrait Exhibition, Mills Pond House Gallery, St. James, NY
“FRESH” 9th Annual Group Summer Exhibition, Artjaz, Philadelphia, PA
Uptown Express, First Christian Assembly, Cincinnati, OH
Embrace, Avisca Fine Arts, Atlanta, GA
Faculty Show, Pearlman Gallery, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
go figure, The Carnegie, Covington, KY
Back Holmes, Nordheim Gallery, Covington, KY
VAULT: Lost Projects Resuscitated, A Collaborative Experiment by Lizz Godfroy &
Anissa Lewis, Leapin’ Lizard, Covington, KY
New Power Generation, Hampton University Museum, Hampton, VA
National Black Fine Arts Show, Avisca Fine Arts, New York, NY
2007 Nappy Roots: An Affrilachian Sampler, Inktank, Cincinnati, OH
God Save the Queen, Leapin’ Lizard, Covington, KY
24/7, Leapin’ Lizard, Covington, KY
8th Annual Summer Group Show, ArtJaz, Philadelphia, PA
Aqua, Kennedy Heights Art Center, Cincinnati, OH
Paths to Press, Dicere Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Voices and Visions, City of Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
2005 Art and Social Justice, Geo-Clan, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Aldea Colobo Africana (Permanent installation), Norris Square Community Gardens, Philadelphia, PA
CREATIVE PRACTICES / EXPERIENCE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
What’s good, Neighbor?, Eastside, Covington, KY, ongoing
Neighborhood residents were asked to “re-experience” their shared spaces from varying perspectives. Through interactive murals, storytelling, gatherings and art interventions, What’s good, Neighbor? aims to build the social fabric between longtime and new residents. This project was made possible initially with the support of a Creative Community Grant from The Center for Great Neighborhoods.
Chalk Art Collaboration, Eastside Music and Soul Food Festival, Covington, KY, 2019
Collaboration with neighborhood residents to dream and draw
Cincinnati Artist Survey (CAR), Wave Pool and ArtWorks, Cincinnati, OH, 2019
CAR is a collaboration between Wave Pool and ArtWork; one aspect of CAR entailed working with apprentices to create community engagement opportunities for artists to further support survey participation.
WHAT’S GOOD?, City of Covington Parks and Recreation, Covington, KY, Summer 2016
A series of creative placemaking activities to promote community ownership and identity amongst Eastside residents at Randolph Park
Collaboration, On the Map/Over-the-Rhine (OTM/OTR), with social practice artist, Mary Clare Rietz, Cincinnati, OH, 2014 - 2016
OTM/OTR aims to challenge – and introduce alternatives to – the predominant narrative, cartography, and economy of the neighborhood at this time of rapid redevelopment. It asks: “What if the current diverse mix of people could meet and form social bonds by sharing stories about the one thing they all do share – their place?”
Rites of Passage, Kensington High School, Woodrock, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, 2004
An after-school program for high school girls of color offering experiential learning workshops on mind, body and spirit, including guest speakers, a low ropes course camp and a civic engagement project
Women Are Powerful Prison Outreach Program, Pan African Studies Community Education Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 2002 – 2003
An arts-based, self-empowerment class for incarcerated women in the drug and alcohol unit of the Philadelphia Industrial Corrections Center featuring journal writing, poetry, visual arts, skits and music
CREATIVE PRACTICES / EXPERIENCE, continued
MURALS / COMMISSION
We’re Here Now!, Center for Great Neighborhoods, Covington, KY, 2020
Peaslee for the People,” Peaslee Neighborhood Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
Bubbles, The Washing Well, a social enterprise laundromat, Community Matters, Cincinnati, OH, 2016
Be the change…, Kensington High School (Woodrock, Inc.), Philadelphia, PA, 2005
Powerful Words, Kensington High School (Woodrock, Inc.), Philadelphia, PA, 2004
Installation, Homes, Take Back the Nite (Domestic violence rally), Galesburg, IL, sponsored by the Knox County Coalition against Domestic Violence, Galesburg, IL, 1996
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, Fall 1996
RELATED EXPERIENCES
SPEAKER / PRESENTER
Co-Presenter, “Performing Possibility: Three Public Works that Act Out,” 2019 Midwest Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit, Cincinnati, OH, 2019
“Black Women Artists: The Role of Race,” The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati, OH, 2019
“What is Creative Placemaking?,” FreshLo Program, Center for Great Neighborhoods, Covington, KY, 2018
OTM/OTR, Open Platform, Open Engagement (arts and social practice conference), Pittsburgh, PA, 2015
“Redefinition of Self Portraiture,” Knox College, Galesburg, IL, 2008
“Works on Paper,” Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, 2007
Artists Reaching Classrooms, Taft Museum, Cincinnati, OH, Fall 2007
PANEL DISCUSSANT
Closing Plenary, “Building Welcoming and Inclusive Communities,” 2019 Midwest Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit, Cincinnati, OH, 2019
“Ohio Artist: Tools for Freedom,” Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 2018
“Storytelling in the Community,” Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange, Covington, KY, 2018
“SOS! For a Better World: Community Centered Art,” Kennedy Heights Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
“The Art of Activism: A Panel Discussion Inspired by the work of Andrea Bowers,” Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
“community organizer social worker designer developer ARTIST,” Wave Pool, Cincinnati,
OH, 2015
“Works in Progress,” Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 2007
“Art & Social Justice,” Geo-Clan, Philadelphia, PA, 2005
RELATED EXPERIENCES, continued
JUROR
Art Space Is Your Space, Wave Pool, Cincinnati, OH, 2019
Curatorial Residency Program, Wave Pool, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition (Southwest Ohio Region), Milford High School,
Milford, OH, 2014
19th Fresh ART 2011, Behringer-Crawford Museum, Covington, KY, 2011
NKU Social Art Contest, Art Department, Northern Kentucky University, Highland
Heights, KY, 2011
LEADERSHIP
Member, Community Engagement Collective (a task force that assists the Contemporary
Arts Center in creating a roadmap for inclusive and impactful community engagement),
Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
CURATOR
Social Justice Art Contest, Graphic Design Department, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY, 2011
TOUCH, Kennedy Heights Art Center, Cincinnati, OH, August 2010
Exquisite Drawing, Dicere Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, July 2008
ESSAYIST
“Transparent Layers: The Work of Aditi Singh Reddy” (Catalogue essay), Gallery Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai, India, 2008
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simpson, Kareem, “Anissa Lewis tells the story of coming home — and her struggle with how things have changed,” Soapbox Media, https://www.soapboxmedia.com/features/Boomerang-Series-Anissa-Lewis.aspx, July 16, 2019.
Chambers, Karen S. “/just to be alive/ An Exhibition of the Contemporary Female Artist,” 1628 Ltd., through May 31, 2019, AEQAI, https://aeqai.com/main/2019/03/just-to-be-alive-an-exhibition-of-the-contemporary-female-artist-1628-ltd-through-may-31-2019/, March 31, 2019.
BIBLIOGRAPHY, continued
Griffith, Katie, “Art Academy of Cincinnati a Venue in National Program Encouraging Political Activism,” CityBeat, https://www.citybeat.com/arts-culture/visual-arts/article/21020100/art-academy-of-cincinnati-a-venue-in-national-program-encouraging-political-activism-through-art,
August 29, 2018.
Carter, Christopher, “Eastside Processional: “Not to Scale” at the Carnegie,” AEQAI, https://aeqai.com/main/2018/03/eastside-processional-not-to-scale-at-the-carnegie/,
March 2018.
Simpson, K. A., “Creative Placemaking Projects in Covington’s Eastside Awarded More than $5000,“ River City News, July 31, 2016.
“Featured Tri-State Artist,” Cincy Magazine, February / March 2011.
Pearce, Sara, “Lost and Found,” The Enquirer, May 9, 2008.
Muente, Tamara, “Articulations,” CityBeat, April 30, 2008.
Richardson, Rachel, “Artist shows journey through her work: Exhibit of Anissa Lewis’ works on display at the Clermont College Art Gallery,” The Enquirer, April 19, 2008.
“UC Clermont to display pieces that were ‘lived,’” Kenton Recorder, April 17, 2008.
Staff, “Main Event: Nappy Roots: An Affrilachian Arts Sampler,” CityBeat, October 2007.
Strauss, Robert, “Galleries: Hot! Hot! Hot!,” www.aroundphilly.com, August 2007.
Strauss, Robert, “August holds its own,” University City Review, August 2007.
Feldmann, Jason, “New Exhibits Coming to Nordheim Gallery,” Kenton Recorder, March 2007.
Pearce, Sara, “Weekend Art Warrior: highlights of tonight’s options,” www.frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/art, March 2007.
Artworks featured, Catch (an award winning literary magazine), Knox College, Galesburg, IL, Fall 1996 (Cover image), Winter/Spring 1996, Winter/Spring 1995.