My portrait is inspired by "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer. I remember seeing this painting at the De Young museum in San Francisco when I was young; I was captivated by Vermeer's ability to capture such complexity in his subject's gaze despite it being a simple pose. I aimed to recreate this regard. The picture was taken in the photography studio at my school. I set up box lights to light up my subject's short side, which created a Rembrandt effect. I love the way that her face sits because it's similar to the original, but Lila's sassy personality still shines through.