This portrait honors Ms. Sandi Logan, principal of Duke Ellington School of the Arts. I chose to paint Ms. Logan not only because of who she is as a leader, but because of what she represents—resilience, legacy, and the fight for access to arts education for students of color.

Duke has been my home for four years. It’s where I found my voice. But none of that happens without the people behind the scenes who hold the structure up. Ms. Logan is one of those people. Her story is filled with sacrifice, vision, and strength—traits that have shaped the culture of Duke as a sanctuary for young artists.

This piece was created shortly after a moment of political uncertainty, and during our interview and photo shoot, Ms. Logan carried the weight of that uncertainty. Her expression in the painting is serious—grounded—because she was grieving, thinking deeply about the future of the school, its students, and the very mission she’s committed her life to. That emotional truth was important for me to capture.

The painting is full of symbolism. The backdrop is rich with Adinkra symbols and storytelling patterns, specifically the Sankofa bird, which means “To retrieve the past”—a powerful call to honor the past in order to build the future. Ms. Logan told me that when she thinks of Duke, she often thinks of her grandmother, a talented visual artist who won an art school contest in the 1950s but was never allowed to attend. This painting is also for her—for every dream deferred, and every student who now walks through our doors as a result of that legacy.

Above her head, you’ll see the Duke Ellington building, like a crown—because she wears this school like a crown. Not for power, but for protection, purpose, and pride.

There’s a snake in the lower left corner—a visual metaphor for the systems of oppression and racism that many of us face. But standing in defiance of that is Ms. Logan: grounded, unshaken, draped in a bold, radiant pattern that speaks to her heritage and strength. Behind her composure is centuries of resistance, resistance of people of color who have risen, fought, and endured. That enduring fight is embodied by the tiger in the piece: a symbol of power, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit of our communities.

This painting is a tribute. Not only to celebrate Ms. Logan's story but a “Thank You” from me to Ellington. This is my goodbye to Duke Ellington School of the Arts.