Visual Art – Washington, D.C.
Malia Alana "Lonnie" Pauls is an Afro-Cuban-American Fine Arts Chromesthetic Abstract painter, working in mostly acrylics and inks.
After being involved in many art forms throughout her life, including culinary arts, music, dance, and photography, Lonnie took interest in painting in 2013 with the help of Gina Lewis, art professor at Bowie State University, who introduced Lonnie to the work of abstract artist Gerhard Richter; since then, Lonnie has not stopped painting. Besides Gerhard Richter, Lonnie is inspired by other artists such as Jackson Pollock, Alma Woodsey Thomas, Mark Rothko, Joan Mitchell, Michael B. Platt, and her mentor Aziza Gibson Hunter.
As a self proclaimed arts advocate, Lonnie believes that the arts are a very important aspect in the lives of kids, teens, and young adults; she believes art of all disciplines not only helps youth develop cognitive learning skills, but also gives them a chance to find and understand their passions. In 2014, while working as the Social Media Intern in the Capitol Hill office of Congresswoman Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Lonnie drafted a congressional bill focused on the importance of Arts Education and Sanctity. Lonnie hopes to someday build nonprofit arts sanctuaries in the United States.
Lonnie is the former Student Life Events Specialist at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations from Bowie State University in December of 2015, and is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Arts Management program at George Mason University, with which she plans to pursue her dream of opening nonprofit arts sanctuaries in the U.S. and a career as a gallery curator.
Lonnie is 22 years old and resides in Manassas, Virginia.