The Art of Motherhood began life as a nod to the riot grrrl zines I obsessed over as a teen. I wanted to apply the same DIY logic and empowering all-girl vibes to this book. The first step was to reach out to our Instagram community for contributors, people who really connected with the themes of 'moment of motherhood' and 'symbols of sisterhood'. The response was overwhelming and as my inbox started filling up with submissions I knew this book was going to be special.
Professional illustrators, tattoo artists, designers, students, spare-time doodlers, toy makers and business women all came together for this amazing cause, donating their time and talent so generously in order to make this project a success and raise as much money for Home Start as possible (all profits from The Art of Motherhood go to this leading UK family support charity).
After months of extra curricular efforts and very little sleep we finally had a real, actual, flick-through-able book in our hands! The only way to launch was to have a mama meet of epic magnitude, hosted by one of the most inspirational mothers I know in her beautifully curated family lifestyle store in the East Village. Olive Loves Alfie East is buzzing hub of mum activity and creative workshops of all kinds.
This really was a team effort pieced together by mothers for mothers. An impressive demonstration of the power of our online community. Everything from the giant confetti balloons to the custom mama cookies were given generously and lovingly by independent mama-makers who run their own small businesses. This solidarity and belief in sisterhood and supporting one another to make events like this possible is incredibly humbling.
The afternoon was a beautiful blur and a true celebration of sisterhood. From the army of buggies parked in rows outside the store front (amongst them an iconic Silver Cross housing a huge disco ball. A store mascot of sorts.) and the toddlers whizzing through crowds of mama legs, to the steady wave of bobbing as new mamas soothed their tiny ones, and the IG friendships that became all the more tangible, exciting and real in an instant.
The online motherhood movement is spilling out of the IG squares it was born in and beginning to change our perception of each other, our assumptions on motherhood and our career paths. Being in a position to join forces with these inspiring female creatives to raise funds for a charity like Home Start is a privilege and it's one I'm eternally grateful for.
"Victory Parade was the place to be as it morphed into a playground for the next gen. This wasn’t a regular Mama meet up - this was super charged and busting with goodness and sisterhood." - Ashlyn Gibson, Owner of Olive Loves Alfie stores.
View The Art of Motherhood HERE!
Photographs by Sarah Lou Francis (IG: @sarahloufrancis) & Donna Tweedale (IG: @crayons_miumiu)
