CV
KEITA WHITTEN FOSTER
Interdisciplinary Artist | Trauma Therapist | Liberation Specialist
Phone: (207) 632-6167
Email: keitaawhitten@gmail.com Website: www.keitawhittenfoster.com Instagram: @keitaanniewhittenfoster Location: Harrison, Maine
ARTISTIC PRACTICE
Keita Annie Whitten Foster is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice weaves together visual art, somatic liberation dance, performance, and creative writing as pathways for healing. Her artwork is deeply autobiographical, somatic, and visceral, reflecting her lifelong journey of exploration and self-discovery through a womanist lens. This perspective centers the experiences, wisdom, and viewpoints of Black women, elevating themes of personal empowerment, collective healing, and social justice.
Her signature "Soul Mapping" methodology blends storytelling, movement, and symbolism to explore how heritage shapes identity and guides personal growth. Drawing inspiration from the Yoruba water deities Yemaya and Oshun, Keita's work embodies themes of ocean, rivers, abundance, and spiritual insight, with each piece rippling outward like waves that reshape the shore.
EDUCATION
University of Southern Maine | Portland, Maine
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Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
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Master of Social Work (MSW)
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Racial Equity Officer (18 months)
Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D) | Portland, Maine Haystack Mountain School of Crafts | Deer Isle, Maine
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Summer Intensive Program, Mixed Media
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Focus: Incorporating natural materials into contemporary art practices
EXHIBITIONS
2025
Art Inspired By Nature | Manhattan Arts International & The Healing Power Of Art November 1-January 2026.
SNOW (Small Works Show) | Juried Group Exhibition The Siddle House, Freeport, Maine
November 6–30, 2025
Competitively jury-selected exhibition
Forever Ours: Microplastics and PFAS
St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Frame Shop Exhibition | Window Display Ongoing since January 2025
BIG Show | Group Exhibition
Western Maine Art Group & Main Street Gallery, Norway, Maine
Good Health is Habit | Group Exhibition Solo Exhibition
Café Nomad, Norway, Maine
2024
Water-Life-Flow | Debut Solo Exhibition Denmark Center for the Arts, Denmark, Maine
BIG Show | Group Exhibition
Western Maine Art Group & Main Street Gallery, Norway, Maine
2022
Re-Editioning Black + Native Histories; Re/Union | Collaborative Project Indigo Arts & Haystacks, Deer Isle, Maine
2021
Freedom in Captivity: Art on Abolition | Performance Art "What does Abolition (liberation) feel like?"
Somatic Liberation Dance performance with BIPOC Bodies Space Gallery & Indigo Arts, Portland, Maine
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE Trauma Therapist & Liberation Specialist
Keita Whitten Foster operated a private practice in Portland, Maine, specializing in trauma psychotherapy. Her clinical work centered on somatic approaches to addressing intergenerational trauma, emphasizing body-centered liberation practices and trauma- informed healing modalities. Through specialized therapeutic methods, she provided holistic and embodied healing support for individuals and communities affected by trauma.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP & ACTIVISM
Founder | Somatic Liberation Dance Waves for BIPOC Communal Healing Founder | The Harriet Tubman Movement Coalition
Founder | Ready, Set, Thrive
Founder | Redefining Therapy
MEDIA & PERFORMANCE
Producer & Host | Mama Afrika Show (6 years)
Contributing Writer | Portland Press Herald
Vocalist | Portland-based reggae bands and acoustic collaborations Community Dance DJ | Portland, Maine
ARTIST STATEMENT
Water~Life~Flow serves as the foundation for all of Keita's creations, deeply rooted in her connection to Maine's waters—from Friendship to Portland to the Southwest Lakes region. Over the course of more than twenty years, these waters have witnessed her artistic evolution as she channels the Yoruba water deities, Yemaya and Oshun, embodying the ocean, rivers, abundance, and spiritual insight.
Through "Water Life Flow" and her Soul Mapping method—which blends storytelling, movement, and symbolism—Keita explores how heritage shapes identity and guides personal growth. Her work acts as both a map and a ritual, drawing upon personal and ancestral influences.
As an artist and metaphysician, she explores the spiritual dynamics that connect the body, memory, and tradition. Drawing inspiration from Yemaya's blues and Oshun's golds, she evokes the resilience and beauty of water using layered media. Her approach strikes a balance between structure and intuition, informed by yoga and somatic practices.
Ultimately, "Water Life Flow" represents a unified journey of healing and creative expression, with each piece rippling outward like waves that reshape the shore. She invites viewers to immerse themselves in a space where healing, ancestry, and creation converge.
For inquiries, commissions, and current projects: