Photo by McKenzie Shelton
Biography
LaNia Roberts, born in 1996 and raised in Louisville, KY, discovered a transformative outlet for self-expression in visual art amid the challenges of her identity as a young black woman. With a foundation shaped by enrollment in Louisville Visual Art's Children's Fine Art Classes and participation in Kentucky Governor School for the Arts, she graduated from Central High School in 2014.
Benefiting from multiple scholarships and as a first-generation college student, she pursued a degree in painting at the Visual and Performing Arts School of Syracuse University in New York. LaNia exhibited a remarkable commitment to student organizations throughout her undergraduate years, presiding over the Black Artist League for three years and contributing her voice to the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble, among other endeavors.
Her artistic journey continued to flourish during her tenure at Syracuse University. Her works adorned venues such as the Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany, IN, and the 1619 Flux Art & Activism in Louisville, KY. In a landmark moment during her junior year, she became the first in her family to embark on international travel, living in Florence, Italy, for four months to study painting, photography, and sculpture. Her connection with Tuscany endured through recurring art workshops led by master professors in 2017, 2018, 2021, and recently again in 2023.
Following her senior year, LaNia's journey led her to internships at Creative Capital and the Ronald Feldman Art Gallery in New York City during the summer of 2018. During the subsequent fall, she immersed herself in a comprehensive study of Human Rights & Multiculturalism in Cape Town, South Africa. She traversed a remarkable 12 countries in just six years, embodying a global perspective that has resulted in a more acute understanding of her own culture and experience growing up in Kentucky.
LaNia's post-graduation path led her back to her roots in Louisville, KY, where she passionately operates her art studio. In 2022, she was a distinguished speaker at Roger Williams University, where she shared insights on "Decolonizing the Art World as a Black Woman" with college students. Later that year, she received a Great Meadows Foundation Travel Grant, awarding her travel to the Venice Biennale and mentorship experiences in Florence and Rome, Italy. Her practice has expanded into an online-based social art practice, empowering millions worldwide to embody radical self-compassion, love, and acceptance, with over 200,000+ followers between Instagram and Tiktok.
Later in 2023, she received the esteemed $7,000 Bill Fischer Award for Visual Arts, and the renowned 21c Museum Hotels Collection has recently acquired her work. Most notably, her unwavering commitment to her art career since her teenage years has led to her representation by the esteemed Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem, New York City.