Did You Wear Your Pearls That Day?
Superheroes indeed walk among us.
After the entire hot mess that was January 6th, this past week’s Inauguration Day on January 20th was so much more inspiring.
For the first time in history, a woman was named the Vice President of the United States…of America!
That last part though…
Reminds me of Chris Rock’s movie Head of State:
We’d like you to run for President.
Chris Rock’s character (Mays): Of what?
The United States.
Mays: Of what?
Of America.
Mays: Which America?
North America, Mays.
Mays: Get out of here!
LOL!
I don’t think I believed I’d ever see the day that a woman of color-let alone a black woman-would hold that title in the U.S. But, my was it a beautiful sight to behold!
What was even more beautiful was the way other women like Michelle Obama supported her during this important transition. The former First Lady (er…Obama, not Trump) gave her a fist bump at the inauguration and millions of other women across the globe wore pearls (an AKA tradition) to show solidarity (read more here).
Annndddd, if that wasn’t enough, the day before the inauguration, Vice President Harris herself tweeted:
Ok. I was already proud of her. Now, I’m a fan! Ok. I’m a sucker for anyone that supports teachers!
And can we just take a moment to appreciate the black excellence that is Amanda Gorman? There are now legit lesson plans around the poem that young, black queen recited for the Inauguration!
But, this is a lettering blog. And, as in life, in lettering, my lone escape during this whole tumultuous time, I think this is the year I find my superheroes too.
I shared my goals for 2021 and my love for gothic, victorian and ornate lettering styles on my first posts of the year. Since then, I’ve been searching for artists that I could look to for inspiration.
I keep a running list of lettering artists that I enjoy following. Their work inspires me. But, left to my own devices, I enjoy it all. Looking for those artists that speak to what I want to do specifically, is a little bit different. Not everybody is interested in ornamental lettering styles. So, I’ve been looking for artists whose work shows that. Currently, they are (in no particular order):
Saul Tobias - What can I say? The man can draw…and I love drawing. A lettering artist and type designer, letters and illustrations seem to melt together flawlessly in all of his designs.
Tiia The Noctuarist of Archaic_Noctuary - She seems to have found a way to infuse her own personal symbols into an ornamental style of lettering and gives it a feminine vibe that I enjoy. She makes me want to find my own personal symbols…
Abimatha P. Ratri - Nothing escapes his attention. Every millimeter of every work is thought about and addressed. I love that quality. I don’t possess it. But I love it. I’m more of a simplifier. But, I’d like to find a balance between that and the hyper-detail that I find so amazing in his work.
Tomasz Biernat - He appears to me to have a love for handiwork and fine craftsmanship. It shows in every piece. It’s that kind of thing that attracts me to ornamental lettering in the first place. I like to think the forms and textures he incorporates in his lettering come from everyday objects and things he finds around him.
While I don’t believe in totally copying any artists, I think taking what you can learn from all of your superheroes is how you learn to become your own artist.
As for what I intend to do with my letters…Once upon a time, I thought that would all revolve around what it meant to be a teacher and posting signs in my classroom…I think I’ll always share whatever I’m learning at the time as well as my adventures in #teacherlife. But I think 2020’s events topped with this start to 2021 have already shifted and shaped my intentions moving forward…Starting from the protests surrounding George Floyd’s death to the death of Breonna Taylor in which no direct charges were filed…to the BLM protests and the rioters at the Capitol…I think the whole world has changed. I think I’ve changed. And I think the signs are starting to show a little.
Much like the Michelle Obama’s of the world and the millions of women who wore their pearls of support, I want to be something I-an introvert-have never wanted to be before. Ever.
Like, seriously…ever.
I want to be a cheerleader.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit, my gift is not in my mouth. My gifts have always been in my hands. I speak with my hands…
And I want to tell my fellow sister that she rocks. I want to share an affirmation that might get her through the next week. I want to help her remember her faith when she’s struggling. I want to urge her to protect her energy. I want to honor her fallen heroes. I want to assure her that, no matter what anyone else says or what she feels like, she comes from greatness, has a rich legacy and is a walking inspiration wherever she goes…And I want to encourage her, no matter what her personality type, to connect with the women around her because there is strength in community and sisterhood definitely has its perks.
As far apart as we’ve had to distance and watch so many unsettling events unfold in our own homes, in our communities and in the world at large…As far as we have yet to go to repair both former and current damage for ourselves and for the children we’ve brought into this world…I can’t imagine not taking what I’ve learned about what support has looked like for me and the women around me during what has been a very difficult time and applying it to this practice.
Because we really do need each other.
I hope some day that all of my lettering projects will start to resemble a fine, string of pearls.
