Portland Teacher’s Painting Makes National News

Three weeks ago, with the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there were national mourning demonstrations and most cities in the United States of America, one of which was Portland.

At the candlelight vigil in downtown Portland just a few weeks ago, as seen on Mary Kate Snyder's Instagram, there was a portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg that was on display that has also been used and national news outlets a Portland teacher painted this portrait.

The picture was painted by none other than Barbara Loring, the art teacher at Portland high school who joined the school system in 1984 and was moved to paint the portrait as she is drawn much inspiration from influential female figures such as Ginsberg.

"I was moved to create this portrait on the following evening, after hearing there would be a memorial vigil in her honor in Monument Square on Sunday," Loring said. "Ruth Bader Ginsburg's transcendence of cultural limitations and bias in the service of Justice is more inspiring than I could ever do justice to in words. I wanted to reflect on her magnitude and spend some time in vigil drawing her image", she told the Portland Public Schools website.

At the vigil the following Sunday night, a photographer from Reuters asked her if they could use her photograph. It has been re-routed to many newspapers and other media around the country, including the Washington Post.

As someone new to Maine, it's definitely inspiring to see plenty of things that happen right here in this community go national and have such a cultural significance. Have you seen this painting?