Naima Rauam

American (New York, New York)

Naima Rauam is a New York-based woman artist working in watercolor, oil, charcoal, pastel and graphite. She depicts the New York waterfront​, the South Street Seaport ​Historic ​District​,​ and the Fulton Fish Market, which she has documented with her artwork since the mid–1960s​ when she shared ​a work space with Meyer & Thompson Smoked Fish Company on Beekman Street​. Starting in 1984, the ground-floor sales area ​of Meyer & Thompson​ was her studio-gallery, ​which she called "Art in the Afternoon (fish in the morning)​". When the fishmongers, who operated in the early morning hours, left each day, ​she set up her art display and painted in the afternoons. The art gallery was dismantled each evening to make way for fish again the next night. The building was sold in 1997, ending the unusual arrangement. Fishmongers in the landmarked Tin Building offered the artist studio space, where she painted until the market moved ​to the Bronx in 2005. ​T​oday her studio is still in the area, but is no longer in a fish house.