Picture Day is a work of art I created using oil paint on canvas. This painting was inspired by my desire to share the idea that many Black women may have been repressed in their self-expression as children. This painting uses a lot of symbolism. The subject has pink hair, representing defiance of what's "normal" and acceptable. Her arms are crossed with a fixed gaze on the viewer as if expressing her dissatisfaction with the norms forced upon her. The butterflies represent hope and transformation, alluding to a shift into a state of being where she is free to be herself and determine her own image. In the process of painting this figure, I found it necessary to paint with my fingers. This allowed my strokes to convey the soft yet fierce nature of the young girl.
