12” x 9”
Acrylic, Gel Pen, Feather, Thread, Beads, Sequins, Cord, Fabric, Gauze, Cardboard,
Glitter on Stretched Canvas
2026
This mixed‑media portrait honors civil rights leader Dorothy Irene Height, whose lifelong advocacy for racial and gender equality blossomed into lasting national change. Created with acrylic paint, gel pen, feather, thread, beads, sequins, cord, fabric, gauze, cardboard, and glitter on stretched canvas, the piece mirrors both the layered complexity of her work and the elegance with which she led.
In this portrait, Height is adorned in a radiant purple hat and attire, which is a nod to her signature style and the regal presence she carried into every room. The hat’s lace, sequins, ribbon, and feather embellishments echo the meticulous care she brought to community building and the dignity she embodied as president of the National Council of Negro Women. Her face, rendered in swirling, textured linework, evokes the depth of her wisdom and the many paths she carved for others. The soft turquoise background, touched with golden patterning, creates a luminous contrast that allows her figure to bloom forward, much like the cherry blossoms that frame her legacy in Washington, D.C.
The floral symbolism is central: Height’s leadership blossomed across decades, nurturing movements for justice with patience, resilience, and quiet power. The mixed materials, from delicate threads to shimmering sequins, reflect the many hands, histories, and communities she uplifted. Each texture becomes a tribute to the beauty she cultivated through service, advocacy, and unwavering grace.
12” x 9”
Acrylic, Gel Pen, Feather, Thread, Beads, Sequins, Cord, Fabric, Gauze, Cardboard,
Glitter on Stretched Canvas
2026
This mixed‑media portrait honors civil rights leader Dorothy Irene Height, whose lifelong advocacy for racial and gender equality blossomed into lasting national change. Created with acrylic paint, gel pen, feather, thread, beads, sequins, cord, fabric, gauze, cardboard, and glitter on stretched canvas, the piece mirrors both the layered complexity of her work and the elegance with which she led.
In this portrait, Height is adorned in a radiant purple hat and attire, which is a nod to her signature style and the regal presence she carried into every room. The hat’s lace, sequins, ribbon, and feather embellishments echo the meticulous care she brought to community building and the dignity she embodied as president of the National Council of Negro Women. Her face, rendered in swirling, textured linework, evokes the depth of her wisdom and the many paths she carved for others. The soft turquoise background, touched with golden patterning, creates a luminous contrast that allows her figure to bloom forward, much like the cherry blossoms that frame her legacy in Washington, D.C.
The floral symbolism is central: Height’s leadership blossomed across decades, nurturing movements for justice with patience, resilience, and quiet power. The mixed materials, from delicate threads to shimmering sequins, reflect the many hands, histories, and communities she uplifted. Each texture becomes a tribute to the beauty she cultivated through service, advocacy, and unwavering grace.
