LaKesha Lee
2025-2027 Faculty Fellow
Watkins College of Art
M.F.A. University of Tennessee Knoxville, B.F.A. University of Alabama at Birmingham
Location: Leu Center for the Visual Arts
lakesha.lee@belmont.eduBiography
LaKesha Lee earned a BFA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an MFA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her work creates deeply layered visual narratives that preserve African American histories and reimagine family legacies. She explores the transformative potential of memory and storytelling; challenging perceptions of Black identity and labor practices rooted in community and cultural preservation. Lee has exhibited widely in group exhibitions across the Southeast. Her practice combines found and handmade materials, ceramics, quilting traditions, and photomontage—crafting an authentic language that honors her matrilineal heritage while envisioning a collective future.
Prior to joining Watkins, Lee served as a curator at The Bottom and the Frieson Gallery in Knoxville, TN, where she coordinated and participated in community outreach events for youth, inspiring students to explore the ever-evolving world of art. She looks forward to meeting each student and supporting them on their creative journey.