Shem Alexander was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on the twin-island Caribbean nation of Antigua & Barbuda. He is a mixed-media artist working primarily in gouache, monotypes, screen prints, and drawing media on paper. He derives inspiration from his African heritage and the culture of Antigua and Barbuda, where his passion for visual arts first developed. The traditional way of life and practices of growing up in a small rural village significantly influenced his childhood. In 2009, he enrolled at the Antigua State College, where he helped establish the first campus art gallery, “Studio One,” in 2011. That same year his art class organized a field trip to visit the most noteworthy art museums in New York City, which cemented his love for visual arts. After completing his studies at the Antigua State College in 2012, he first exhibited work in local juried exhibitions. In 2014, he exhibited his group show collection “Antiguan Folklore & Supernatural Beings at the Art” at the Ridge Gallery in Bolans, Antigua. Wanting to advance his artistic skills and experience a culture different from his own, he moved to the United States in 2016 to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. The experience of moving to the United States had a profound impact on artistic journey and his perspective on culture. He recently featured work in the highly successful Rising Eyes of Texas 2020 annual juried exhibition hosted by the Rockport Center for the Arts in Rockport, Texas. He currently resides in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he plans to enroll in a graduate program after completing his undergraduate studies.