Meet Naomi
Naomi Stewart is a Los Angeles-based curator, finance professional, and poet whose work exists at the intersection of artistic vision and strategic sustainability. Her journey began with studies in Anthropology and Art History at Hawaii Pacific University, later deepening with an MBA in Leadership from Pepperdine University—a combination that uniquely positions her to bridge creative practice with business acumen.
By day, Naomi manages multi-million dollar educational budgets as a Finance Manager, experience she draws upon to consult with artists seeking to build sustainable creative practices. Her curatorial work centers on identity, collective healing, and somatic ecology, with recent exhibitions like *Black in Place* and collaborations spanning galleries including Wonzimer, Brea Gallery, and Angel's Gate Cultural Center.
Through partnerships with Sci-Art collective, SuperCollider Art, and Inbreak Residency, Naomi explores themes of trauma, erasure, and resilience within the modern Black experience. Her research, inspired by Bernard Kinsey's concept of the "myth of absence," confronts the systematic erasure of Black histories while emphasizing African indigenous knowledge systems and insurgent memory to challenge dominant narratives and establish connections to ancestral roots.
This commitment to elevating marginalized voices extends into her consulting practice, where she helps creative professionals translate their artistic vision into viable business strategies through financial literacy, strategic planning, and curatorial development. Her insights have been shared through publications including the Borderline Exhibition Catalog and the Inbreak Residency Journal, as well as speaking engagements like CultureHub Re–Fest and coverage in CARLA and Voyage LA.
Naomi's creative practice continues through her poetry, featured on her blog The Wanderess and Instagram @naomithewanderess, where themes of identity, healing, and ancestral connection weave through her ongoing exploration of what it means to create sustainable, meaningful art in today's world.