This portrait was created as part of my Women of Color exhibit for February 2022. I began doing research earlier this year to chose which important figures to include. After making a list, I begin each portrait with a sketch and prepare the support with gesso. I have painted some extra acrylic papers for the skin tones and backgrounds. Usually a day or two is spent doing this and then I begin sorting and choosing the colors I will use. Over the years I have saved many smaller scraps of these papers, which are sorted in Ziploc bags. They come in handy for smaller pieces of my designs. In particular, for Maya’s hair texture I had some interesting variegated dark paper scraps which worked out well.