We had the good fortune of connecting with Lakeema Matthew and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lakeema, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
As a local artist I started a real world professional art career at age 15 when I started to paint murals. By this time learn about garment printing and graphic design. At age of 16 I worked a regular 9 to 5 job and ended up quitting it maying this job the 1 and last regular job I’ll ever take. When I saw how people operated it in a unjust ways. I realized how much I wanted to be in control of my own life not being a slave to a job that didn’t care about me or value me. At that moment in time I was also learning how to make income creating art either with mural commissions, graphic design and custom shirts through garment printing sell my art on shirts. By the time I was 17 I start to teaching art and add another skill to my resume. Overtime I was given job opportunities in the field of my choice and started to work for establish companies doing graphic design, garment printing or teaching art. By the time I went University of South Florida I had already built a professional portfolio. My peers and people around me thought I was a grad student because I had accomplished so much before receiving a degree. Originally I was going to go for a masters degree but realized it was a waste of money especially since I was already a master in my field. So I settle for bachelor degree in studio arts and continue to pursue my career as a full-time artist. As I was elevating in life I strive to out do myself every chance I get. I saw and experienced the struggles that came with being a full time artist. Starving artist status and stereotype. Even though I was achieving a lot it wasn’t enough to truly live off my success. Working for businesses that was already established and not making much as a self employed contractor or freelance artist. I wanted to create a solution that could sustain me and also open up opportunities for others. That’s when I came up with the idea of Creative Lounge. For years I had a idea and business plan for Creative Lounge but I kelp psyching myself out not thinking I could financially do it. Around the time just before 2020 Covid-19 pandemic started I thought I finally found a sustainable income opportunity until I was laid off due to the pandemic. At this moment a fire was lit and I told myself, no longer am I going to rely on a business I’m putting my skills and energy to the power to control my life so I had funds saved up and decided to take a risk and bet on myself. I looked up business grants that I qualify for. Got my LLC and made it official to work for myself full time. I started in a shared venue space and was limited to the services I offered and then about a year I transition to another place that was bigger and really start to build a multi collaborative space offering all the skills I have in a one stop shop. The mission is, at Creative Lounge we embrace the arts. We strive to change the phrase Starving Artist to Star Artist by offering services to artists, creative minds and business alike a opportunity to shine. So now we offer a space that creator’s can host there own events in our entertainment space. We give vendors a opportunity to sell there products and services. We have a retail space that would help brand them through graphic design and garment printing. We also created a safe haven for artist of all forms visual artist, music artist, poets, dancers and more hosting events give each person a chance to be seen. Overall I chose to own my own business so I can have freedom of expression.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Lakeema Matthew also know as MissyLTM aka Keemba I am a First Generation American Artist/Percussionist and native of St. Kitts & Nevis a Caribbean island. The owner and founder of Creative Lounge. A multi collaborative space that embrace the arts. Offering services in graphic design, garment printing and creative entertainment space. A artist with many hats; Muralist, Visual, Digital and Performance artist. When I create art for myself I choose to represent with Afro art. I like creating pieces that represent me and my people in my community. I attended a after school art program called Community Stepping Stones (CSS) through this nonprofit organization, where I was given the opportunity to start a professional artist career at age 15 painting murals and started teaching art at age 17. During these stages of life I knew I had a gift, a superpower. From being a creator, creating art to become a teacher I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Growing up I was given a label of student with learning disabilities and didn’t think I was smart enough for college until I build relationships with college students that volunteered at CSS they encourage me go to college. I learned from them, I can go to college for art and so I did! Receiving a AA degree in Graphic Design at Hillsborough community College and BA degree in Studio Arts at University of South Florida. I made it her mission to push myself to a successful career in the arts and break boundaries though the arts not limiting my ability to succeed! With this I has study abroad studying art in Paris at Citè International Universitaire de Paris and traveled to England and Italy. I hopes my story, my background could encourage others to achieve their dreams and find their gift so they too could live a life with no regrets and finding there purpose.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Creative Lounge of course. I would invite them to a event we host there and show them around. I would also tell them about other local venues and events like Smoken Word a open mic venue. Kava Cave and Kava Culture because they bring diversity in a chill place. We would probably go out bowling because it’s a fun activity to do. I will also take them to Ybor where there’s a lot of different things going on.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to Creative Lounge, my mother Janetta Matthew, my good friend Donia Kristy and all the supporters , followers and believers that believed in the vision for Creative Lounge and want to see us succeed.

Website: LTMcreativelounge.com ; MissyLTM.com

Instagram: @MissyLTM ; @LTMcreativelounge

Image Credits
Lakeema Matthew

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