In 1665 the painter, Johannes Vermeer finished a painting that would become best known as “The Girl with a Pearl Earring.” It had just sold for some 30 million dollars at auction and for some reason the thought occurred to me, “What if the girl had been a young black slave girl?” And that sparked the first few lines of the poem.
So, my painting became “The Other Girl,” and the realization of how barbaric racism and slavery really was, and is. The stunning beauty in such a young woman, with all of the promises and hopes and dreams, urged me to see the best in humanity, contrasted by the very worst in any individual who would seek to enslave another.
This painting is not a “portrait,” but rather, a study in the human condition. It holds a special place for me and my hopes for humanity’s rise to greater spiritual enlightenment.
Other Girl with the Pearl Earring (AP)
Definition: High-quality fine art prints created using materials and processes engineered for museum-level preservation and resistance to aging.
Material Type: Giclée or fine art inkjet prints, often produced in limited editions.
Quality: Printed with pigment-based archival inks on acid-free, lignin-free paper—frequently 100% cotton rag or similar museum-grade paper. Offers exceptional image stability, rich color depth, and superior resistance to fading and yellowing. Preferred by professional artists, collectors, galleries, and institutions for long-term display and investment.36" x 36" (91 x 91cm)