Girl with an ethnic earring

painted this piece as a tribute to Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer, a work I deeply admire. While my subject draws inspiration from the original, she brings a new spirit — free, powerful, and unapologetically unique. Unlike Vermeer’s modest, white European girl, my figure is a Black woman who proudly embraces her heritage. Her bare shoulders and ethnic earring symbolize liberation and identity. The warm tones and tiled background amplify her feminine presence and quiet strength.