Our Palette

Sapphire Hues Presents

Our Palette An Art Book

To our readers, Sapphire was built to fuel the art of creation to reflect us and our stories. As founders, we didn?t know where this would take us but we were excited and hopeful. Our small community organization grew from a dream to a reality during one of the hardest years any of us have endured. We?re thankful for all our strides and missteps as they?ve brought us to this point. ?Our Palette, An Art Book'' is our first project and a subset of our upcoming magazine, SapphireHues. Our colorful book was conjured up by Gigi and Ariel one day and we ran with it. We sought to make a book featuring the diversity of womxnhood and the hues of being a womxn of color -- and that we did. We gathered pieces that put intersectionality at the forefront to emphasize that womxnhood is not static nor is it monochrome.

This book means so much to us. We are complex and varied while sharing multiple identities. And this book highlights our realities and the realities of our communities. Thank you for letting us create it.

We are eternally grateful for all those who have helped us bring ?Our Palette?into fruition. From early donations to late-night collaborations, we appreciate every bit of help along the way. And most importantly, we want to thank the artists.

We put out an open call for submissions not knowing if anyone would respond. To our surprise, not only did we receive domestic submissions but international ones as well. Each piece blew us away from its composition to its message. It was at that point that we looked at each other and said, ?ok, we actually have to make this good.?Artists, we hope we?ve done your beautiful pieces justice. We are inspired by you, captivated by you, and thankful for you.

We hope this book inspires you, too -- how it does is up to you. But we hope to see you again soon.

W ith truth, The Sapphire Founders

Our Full Artist List can be found on our website. Please use the QR code below!

"EVERY WOMAN IS UNIQUE. WE CANNOT EQUATE THEM." - GOZI AFDOLI

Body text

IntotheEnchantedWoods Eiman Adeil

Legacy Intervention Eiman Adeil

ThePassion Melody Eiman Adeil

Existence Farzana Akhtar

SalesCall Erhan US

Hunter Woman Erhan US

"...BEINGA WOMAN OF COLOR MEANSNOTHING, YET EVERYTHING; IT IS PART OF WHOI AM AND A LEGACY OF MY ANCESTORS..."

- EIMAN ADEIL

Mother Nature Gozi Afdoli

Untitled Mazhar Naveed

CantodeCigara Iván Carbonell Machuty

Untitled Dixon

'"...THEIR STORY OF LIFE, THEIR SUFFERING, SACRIFICE, FEAR, ANXIETY, THE NEGATIVITY [AND] POSITIVITY ALWAYS MOTIVATED ME..."

- FARZANA AKHTAR

BeyondNinety Minutes Aayush Chandrawanshi

CaprichoII Iván Carbonell Machuty

Headin theClouds Tyrza Bazile

Kaya 1, 2 Labdhi Shah

"I BELIEVE THAT THE JOURNEY OF UNDERSTANDINGTHE UNIVERSE STARTSFROM UNDRESSINGTHE FEARSOF ONE'SSOUL AND UNDERSTANDINGTHEM UNCONDITIONALLY."

- LABDHI SHAH

issashooter yree eery

Untitled Nine Yamamoto-Masson

Manhattan Project Paintings Nine Yamamoto-Masson

Untitled Milicent Fambrough

"WOMANHOOD ISCOMPLEX. WE NEED TOSTOP PUTTINGPRESSURE ON PEOPLE'SCLOTHINGAS PRESENTATION."

- A & BEE FROM ONE AND A HALF LESBIANSPODCAST

I AM NOT A COSTUME Merudjina Normil

TheThreeWomen Arpa Mukhopadhyay

Manon CULKeeeN

IsAll Burning Lizette Nin

"DANCE ISBEYOND THE MOVEMENT OF THE BODY; IT'S THE EXPRESSION OF THE SOUL AND AN UNBURDENINGOF THE MIND. "

- YEW ANDE AMBEKE

Still Merudjina Normil

FreeAsA Bird Yewande Ambeke

Spirit BeingsII Yewande Ambeke

Mother'sLove Arpa Mukhopadhyay

" I ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE; AND LOVE THE FACT THAT I HAVE THE RESILIENCE AND GRIT TO CONVERT PROBLEMSINTO OPPORTUNITIESAND GIVE BACK TOSOCIETY."

- ARPA MUKHOPADHYAY

Spirit BeingsI, III Yewande Ambeke

Kaya 5 Labdhi Shah

Melanin 1, 2 yree eery

"THISISTHE TIME TOREDEFINE THE REALITIESOF UNTOLD FACTS... TO OVERCOME THE BURDEN FROM MANKIND. WE MUST HIGHLIGHT OUR PRIDE WITHOUT ANY REGRET OR PREJUDICES."

- MAZHAR NAVEED

Daze Dixon

PASCA Dixon

Priestess Tyrza Bazile

Staff Acknowledgments Gigi Abellard, Salena Deane, Christine Barthelemy, Co-Foundersof Sapphire Ariel Deane, ArtisticDirector Adaeze Dikko, ArtisticConsultant A special Thank You to those w ho donated and pr ovided special suppor t: Chantal Barthelemy

Marquez Chante Mickey-Sullivan

Janice Descartes

Isaah Narcisse

Bianca Edozie

Alyvia Norris

Danny Falcone

Katherine Ochoa-Castillo

Marvin Fung

A & Bee from One and a Half Lesbians Podcast

Anna Gilbert

Erin Sullivan

Gracie Jenkins

Max Tobin

Arielle Joasil

George Umegboh

Mac St. Martin

Calvin Van Caesar Varfley

Font and Back Cover Art: Ariel Deane