As Long As She's Mine by Annie Flavin

Black Micron pen 1.0 + hot pink screen printing ink + water

Over the past few months, I've been collaborating with a very talented woman named Annie Flavin.  She writes about motherhood, real life, marriage, love and kindness (and so many other wonderful themes) and has such a fresh and enlightened perspective.

My role in our collaboration has been to illustrate her powerful, truthful words.

Watered down hot pink screen printing ink

I'm learning a lot about my process and myself along the way.  Like, I'm most inspired in the morning.  First thing.  I want to create almost immediately upon waking.  I quickly brush my teeth and put the coffee on, scan my phone and check in on my Instagram account.  I'm ready.

I pour out the contents of my trusty pencil pouch and grab my go-to black Micron pen and the ideas and concepts start to flow.  I grab a small glass of water, paper towel and jar full of paint brushes.  The need to get my ideas out and onto paper feels urgent and I'm fueled now by the coffee and the images swirling around in my head.

Black Micron pen 1.0 + hot pink colored pencil

For this particular poem I felt like I had to use hot pink.  Now, I'm not usually a pink person.  Nothing in my house is pink - nothing.  In fact, I grew up in a house that had an entire living room covered in pink cottage roses.  The couch, loveseat, oversized chair and ottoman.  The curtains, valances, porcelain candy dishes and fine china, too.  

Pink used to repel me, but a few years ago my mother-in-law sent me this Marimekko purse and I softened to the color.  Hot pink started to feel strong and bold to me.  I recently changed purses and pulled that gifted Marimekko bag out from the back of the closet.  That same day I thrifted these beautifully patterned outdoor pillows.  Hot pink was infiltrating my little world and I was starting to like it and noticing it in my day-to-day life.  I quickly went out and bought a hot pink colored pencil and a tube of hot pink screen printing ink and was eager to get started.

This particular use of hot pink symbolizes the She or "the soul" in this poem.

The imperfect circles and lines serve to symbolize all of us and our imperfections at birth, during our teenage years, in adulthood.

The small inner circles in all three illustrations symbolize the unknown She.

The larger circles symbolize the mother's womb.

The first illustration at the very top of this post is my favorite.  The semi-circle is most definitely a womb and the inner circles symbolize the layers of love stacking up on top of this little soul.  The small dot of pink at the innermost part of the circle symbolizes the baby, the soul, the she.

Today I'll package these up and ship them off to Annie to do with them as she pleases.  These illustrations kind of feel like my little children.  It's comforting to know that as I send them off and on their way they are going to a good home.