Black & White
I was devastated by the news of the passing of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She has been a hero of mine and a personal symbol of persistence and fighting a good fight. Even in defeat, she stood by her commitment to and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. I began painting her portrait the next day.
I paint a lot of landscape and floral paintings in vibrant colors, but I really connect with portraits as black and white; it must be an influence from my early love for black and white photography. I chose to continue with my tradition of black and white paint for this portrait, but I was selective about adding the color blue to the background and a warm white as well. I wanted the painting to focus on the portrait and expression, but not feel sad; rather, reflective and with a touch of whimsy. I collaged an entry from the World Book encyclopedia about energy. My choice in collage material was also intentional, as I meditated on the energy Justice RBG gave to her country and women like me.