About Me

Photo of Naimah at vigil dedicated to Bresha Meadow's in 2016.

I’m a Black Femme born and raised in Chicago and currently works as a licensed professional counselor, art therapist, and artist. My clinical work and art practice often explore the intersections of art and mental health, primarily in BIPOC communities. Utilizing art to shift narratives around healing, mental health, and creating spaces where exploration and re-imagination are valued. Most of my visual work is informed by my lived experience as a Black woman, artist, and therapist. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a range of people across the lifespan in community, correctional, and nonprofit settings.

I received my master’s in art therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Columbia College Chicago.

Naimah’s work includes digital illustrations, as well as works on paper, canvas and Bristol using acrylic, pen/ink and watercolor. She has exhibited in a host of shows including Celebrate Black Hair (2020) at North Liberty Community Library in Iowa; at the Black Music Therapist Network Conference in 2018 and 2019; and Plus, Gallery in Chicago, among others.

Most recently, Naimah’s work was featured in a collaboration between La Colombe and ACLU, where her works were featured on various products with a portion of proceeds benefiting Women entrepreneurs. In addition, her work was recently highlighted among a host of other artists who have created work responding to recent Black Lives Matter protests. Naimah is member of For the People Artists Collective, a radical squad of Black and Brown LGBTQIA artists. Using artivism to uplifts and projects struggle, resistance, liberation, and survival within and for our marginalized communities and movements in our city and our world.

email: info@naimahthomasart.com