For Black History Month, I wanted to honor Maya Angelou. She was a poet, writer, and civil rights activist. However, I wanted to paint something more than just a portrait. I added a bird to reflect the symbolism in one of Angelou's famous works "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." My painting depicts this caged bird finally free. It flies happily out of the cage atop Angelou's head, and also symbolizes how her thoughts so easily flowed from her mind onto the page. The bird and it’s thought cloud is in color to emphasize it in comparison to the black and white portrait.

Acrylic paint on canvas board