LeLeDaArtist, (Alicia Johnson-Black), journey began in Opelousas,LA where a four-year-old girl sat with a pencil in her hand and a fire in her spirit.That spark carried her into art school, where she earned her degree in Art with a concentration in Painting, followed by a Post-Baccalaureate certification in K–12 Art Education and discovered her voice—warm, familiar, and nostalgic enough to make strangers smile in recognition. She believed early that God didn’t give her this gift to be hidden; it was meant to travel, to connect, to speak. For over 13 years, she has taught art from elementary through high school while actively building her professional career as a practicing artist.

From her first show in 2010 to headlining four solo exhibitions, her work has continued to move—through Louisiana, Texas, and across oceans. Her art lives publicly in Opelousas as two landmarks: a towering fiddle at the Historical Tourism Center and a vibrant utility box greeting travelers at Cresswell Lane.

Her pieces have crossed borders into New Zealand, Australia, Nigeria, Russia, and beyond. They’ve appeared on news stations, in newspapers, and even on The Shade Room. Celebrities—like Martin Lawrence—have celebrated her work, and countless commissions have found homes with families, business owners, government officials, Greek organizations, and schools.

As a Jackson Square artist, she connects daily with people from around the world, watching them recognize themselves, their families, and their stories in her paintings. LELE specializes in portraits and nostalgic moments, using painting, drawing, and sculpture to capture the shared experiences that bring people together—no matter their race, background, or where they’re from.

For LELE, this gift is divine, purposeful, and meant to be seen. And with every smile, every moment of recognition, every child mesmerized by her work—she knows she’s walking in exactly what she was created to do.