Amy Lea's Ode to Mother's Love
Leeds-based creative Amy Lea often struggles to choose a Mother’s Day card. Anyone whose mum, like Amy’s, “just isn’t a pink person”, will understand the yearly dither. At some point in March you’re bound to find yourself stood in front of a display of sugar sweet, pastel-hued cards that don’t have anything to do with the complex person that is your mum.
Guides (1/3)
Amy was conscious to avoid the use of pastels for these three designs, created as “an ode to a mother’s constant love and support”. When we got chatting, I couldn’t wait to ask about her choice of colour.
“I strongly believe that women can be soft and gentle and still have a fiery and strong side,” Amy tells me. That fiery side is what inspired her to use vibrant orange and red tones for the pieces, which were originally showcased at an exhibition for International Women’s Day.
Amy calls them ‘Guides’, ‘Shelters’, and ‘Lifts’, and each piece celebrates the powerful influence of mothers.
Equipped with bold colours and abstract shapes, this creative is no stranger to using art to disrupt stereotypes. If you’re from Leeds or Manchester, you may have come across the work that Amy has done to raise awareness for period poverty.
“It’s so important for me to use my voice to communicate, and even more so to communicate around difficult topics, such as period poverty.”
When designing a set of stickers for Don’t Cramp My Style!, she says that she tried “to create fun and playful designs that create a sense of confidence and positivity around periods that people will hopefully want to share and talk about.”
If you haven’t managed to spot the stickers while out and about, take a peek on Instagram instead.
Shelters (2/3)
Between reinventing the conventional Mother’s Day colour palette and smashing period shame, Amy has plenty to say with her art.
“Art is so shareable, and this makes it even more accessible to a wide audience. It plays an important role for me to be able to be a voice for issues that I feel strongly about.”
It’s all been made possible, of course, by having the freedom to follow her creative goals. Amy’s mum has been encouraging throughout, and was supportive when Amy decided to study Illustration at Leeds Arts University.
“Despite being quite academic, I have always had a love and a need for being creative and I’m so lucky that my mum has always stood by me in the decisions I have made.”
Lifts (3/3)
So this Mother’s Day, it’s time to join Amy in gratitude for those who have guided, sheltered, and lifted us up when it’s mattered. Happy Mother’s Day to them all, whether it’s your mum, your sister, or your boss - and whether they like pink or not!
