It’s Women’s History Month — a time to celebrate the many ways women have made our world a better place. For Dominique Samari, it’s inspired her to create her own celebration of the women in her life, whose work and wisdom have made her world a better place.
The project called, Everyday Women’s Wisdom, is a collaboration between Samari, a partner at P3 Development Group in Milwaukee, and illustrator Sherrill Knezel. It combines quotes and drawings into prints and Instagram posts.
"I thought about the recent turbulence in these years behind us, and the years that we're still in, and for me some personal turbulence and just the turbulence in the world, and how I had so heavily relied on the conversations and insights and ideas and support from women in my life. I really wanted to be able to share some of the wisdom that I've been kind of hearing in these conversations and so that's how the project started," Samari explains.
For Knezel, all of the women featured are individual and unique, but the wisdom they shared is universal.
"I know some of the women but not all of them. Illustrating their words, it has pushed me as an artist to honor the women that I'm illustrating. Very honestly, as a white woman, pushing my skills in and working around inclusion, and and again, honoring beauty and wisdom has been just such a delight," she says.
Dasha Kelly Hamilton's quote, "You are not responsible for other people's stuff," accompanied with the illustration of her putting her hand out saying "Nope" is one of Knezel's favorites.
Still, Knezel and Samari agree that they love them all.
"If these never make it out into the world, if something were to happen and we weren't able to share them, I think the greatest gifts from the project are definitely just sitting down and having the time to talk with and listen to these women and the wisdom they shared," says Samari.
