About the Artist
Tomisha Lovely-Allen is a self-taught artist from Louisville, KY. She has been a passionate creator for as long as she can remember. She earned a full scholarship at Northern Kentucky University and graduated with a Bachelor in Accounting and Associate in Business Administration in 1998 and earned a Certified Public Accountant license in 2002.
Tomisha’s artistic journey began in 2002, when she began experimenting with watercolor, oil and acrylics paints. She came to appreciate the buttery consistency of oil paint and is always excited to advance her knowledge in its use and flexibility. Though she creates varying subjects, she is most drawn to figurative and portraiture creations. She is intrigued by capturing these individuals as in a glimpse of time, naturally poised and slightly invasive. Through her work, she hopes to pique the curiosity of the viewer by allowing them to connect with the subject and ask questions regarding their thoughts, emotions and activity.
In 2016, Tomisha began leasing a studio space at the Tim Faulkner Gallery in Louisville, KY. Her time in that space opened her eyes to a community of artist and opportunities she had not seen or known before. Since that experience she has been intentional at transforming her passion into a sustaining business. She has had the privilege of participating in art shows at the Portland Museum, Wayside Expressions Gallery, Maker’s Crucible, Kore Gallery, Roots 101 Museum (curated by Ashley Cathey) and most recently at the Arts Center of the Bluegrass. 2018 marks the time she began participating in juried art fairs at events such as St. James as an “Emerging Artist,” Oldham Art’s Fall Festival and the TJUC Winter Fair. She has a passion to engage and nurture the arts in young people and in 2018, began teaching art at the Jefferson County youth detention Center until they closed their doors in Dec. 2019.
Although COVID-19 halted many art shows and fairs, she has still been extremely blessed at obtaining multiple commission projects including but not limited to obtaining a spot to illustrate a historic Kentuckian woman in the “Bluegrass Bold” children’s book project along with 35 other female artist, exhibit at the Arts Center of the Bluegrass Show “The Art of Being Black: Conversations and Experience,” and be grant recipient to the Fund for the Arts '“Black Artist Grant”.
“It is a necessity that I create and I am very excited to the opportunities I have in the future to doing more. I have been given this small gift for a purpose and am thus compelled to use it and share with others. By doing so I am honoring the gift and the Giver. So whether through paint or pencil, perfection or error, may my art inspire and impart joy to you.”
-Tomisha Lovely-Allen