Description
Artwork Size: 15×15, Medium: Colored Pencil and Embroidery, Location Depicted in Artwork: Stamps, AR, Artist Statement: This portrait of Maya Angelou contains references to ?I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings? and ?Still I Rise?. The pattern on Angelou?s shirt features feathers of hidden birds, all native to Arkansas. Threads begin to loosen and the birds begin to “break free”, as the birds reach the top of the garment. Faith Ringgold’s “Maya’s quilt of life”, in the collection of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, is also referenced. A civil rights activist, feminist, and poet, Angelou’s words enlightened a generation, and are vital to Arkansas history.
