At 35 years of age, Kemesha Francis-Thomas is reshaping the visual art landscape of Jamaica, one creative cutout at a time. 

As a self-taught artist and painter, Kemesha’s artistic pieces have found their way into some of the country’s most energetic and cultural spaces. Her signature medium—hand-cut board art—blurs the lines between fine art and immersive storytelling, capturing the rhythm, resilience, and the beauty of Jamaican culture.  

As years have progressed, Kemesha’s style has evolved with her confidence.

Each piece is more than just a painting on a board. It is an exploration of identity, a celebration of freedom, and a tribute to the power of creative expression. Inspired by her family and everyday, mundane moments, and fuelled by faith, she transforms inspiration into long-lasting visual statements.  

Kemesha continues to push her boundaries, and her recent collaboration with Rum Stripe at the UWI Carnival, where she designed a show-stopping 12-foot can installation for the brand’s newest grapefruit flavour, is a statement about the visibility and value of Jamaican visual artists in mainstream creative spaces.