My black women art isn't just about creating beautiful images—it's about painting the truth of who we are as a people.
When I sit down with my digital tablet and stylus, ready to spend another 10-hour session on a portrait, I think about my grandmother. She raised seven children, worked two jobs, and still found time to braid my sister's hair every Sunday. That's the strength I paint into every line.
The Queens Who Inspire My Art
My Royalty Art Series started because I got tired of scrolling through galleries and seeing the same old narratives. Where were the Black women who built communities? Where were the portraits showing our mothers as the royalty they truly are?
So I started painting them myself.
Each black women art piece I create begins with a meditation. I close my eyes and remember the women who shaped me. The teacher who stayed after school to help me understand geometry. The neighbor who brought plates of food when my family struggled. The sisters marching for justice with their fists raised high.
Why Stars Surround Every Portrait
Stars aren't random in my work. In fact, they represent something profound.
Every Black woman carries the universe within her. She births nations, nurtures dreams, and lights up darkness with her presence. Therefore, when I paint Black women empowerment art, I surround each face with constellations.
The stars also connect to our ancestors. African civilizations studied the cosmos long before telescopes existed. My Black art painting honors that legacy—each star is an ancestor watching over us.
The 400-Hour Journey
People ask why each piece in my Royalty Series takes so long. Truly, you can't rush reverence.
Every strand of hair gets individual attention. Each curve of the lip holds intention. The eyes? Those take days because they need to hold centuries of wisdom. My Black woman art aesthetic demands this level of care.
But here's what matters most: when a sister sees herself in my portraits, she stands a little taller.
Beyond Decoration
This Black culture art serves a bigger purpose. It's healing. It's affirmation. Moreover, it's necessary.
I've watched grown women cry seeing themselves depicted as celestial beings. Brothers buy these pieces for their daughters' bedrooms, wanting them to wake up seeing Black female artwork that whispers "you are enough."
However, mainstream galleries still struggle to see our value. That's why I create directly for my community.
Making Art That Matters
My pro Black art isn't about exclusion—it's about inclusion of stories too long ignored. Each portrait celebrates the divine feminine energy that flows through Black womanhood.
Recently, a client commissioned a portrait of her mother who'd passed. She said, "I want her surrounded by stars because she was my whole sky." That's the power of Black artwork—it holds our love, our loss, our legacy.
Ready to honor a queen in your life? Commission a custom portrait that captures her essence, her strength, her celestial beauty. Commissions start at $2,000. Let's create something that speaks to generations.
Your Portrait Artist: Kenal Louis
My custom portrait commissions start at $2,000 for a 12" x 12" piece and $3,000 for a 20" x 20" artwork.
Want to commission a one-of-a-kind portrait artwork for yourself or a loved one?
Let's create something extraordinary together.