I first discovered artist TL Duryea’s daily portrait project at the beginning of the year. It was through her portrait of Judge Rosemary Aquilina who presided over the Larry Nassar – US Gymnastics hearings. I was just floored at how beautifully she captured her rage, her strength and her power — and I’ve been a fan ever since.
Now, she’s put a collage of the portraits, making them available at her Red Bubble shop in a collection of gifts like tote bags, coffee mugs, phone cases, notebooks and more. There are even tees for kids, women and men, because strong men love strong women too, yo!
You’ll recognize lots of the female political heroes of our time, both past (Shirley Chisholm, Sandra Day O’Connor, Ann Richards) and present (Emma Gonzales, Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Tammy Duckworth). And what I may like best about them all is that they’re not all smiling; that’s something we rarely see in popular portraits of women.
Take a look and grab something you love — it’s a great way to support an indie artist while honoring some of the amazing women lifting us all up.
Related: The most fabulous indie Mother’s Day gifts from women makers + shops
Also, be sure to follow her on Instagram, where her Portraits in Courage series continues with a broader array of subjects, including John McCain, Heather Heyer, Aretha Franklin, LeBron James, Carrie Fisher, Kelly Marie Tran, and more.
The fact that she can find a new person to paint each day is an uplifting reminder that me heroes walk among us. So many heroes.
