This “NO-vember,” tea company Pure Leaf is collaborating with renowned poet, speaker and author Arielle Estoria to reveal a series of murals inspired by her poem, “The Beautiful Art of No.”
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Estoria's first-ever wallspace will appear in Los Angeles, CA, and Manhattan and Williamsburg, NY. Los Angeles and New York are two major hubs where working women may struggle to find balance and the power to say “no”. The poetry and artwork are inspired by Pure Leaf’s belief in the beauty of saying “no” to the things that don’t matter and saying “yes” to the things that do. They believe that this mindset allows one to set boundaries, achieve personal and professional goals, and prevent burnout.
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“I always thought ‘No’ was almost a dirty word but overtime as I took too much on, hesitated to stand up for myself or to make room for rest and whatever else I needed, I learned how necessary "No" was,” says Estoria. “‘No’ became my new power move and tool for self care, it became something I could practice and actively use in moments where I needed to create space for not more but less.”
Visual artists and illustrators Ashley Uananiau Lukashevsky in (Los Angeles) and Perryn Ryan Ford (New York), proudly embrace “No is Beautiful” in life and were selected by Pure Leaf to design the emblematic murals for “The Beautiful Art of No.”
“I say yes to doing more of the things that make me feel good,” stated Perryn Ryan Ford. "Much of my daily life is filled with doing things that I HAVE to do, but I've discovered that there's balance in sprinkling those moments with things that make me feel really good, like journaling, meditating, or having a much needed dance break! Prioritizing just one feel-good moment a day helps me feel grounded, calm, and at peace no matter what may come.”
By visiting and sharing the murals, the artists hope to inspire their friends and inner circles to embrace the same message.
“I first and foremost hope it's something that makes people stop and take a moment to learn what this piece means for them, that the words they read carry with them throughout their week or their day and reminds them of their own empowerment towards taking care of themselves more fully and deeply with learning their own beautiful art of ‘No’,” says Estoria. “My goal in life has always been about making beautiful things in this world and hoping that those beautiful creations make people feel seen and known. I am so honored to be able to do that in something so visual and captivating with other fellow artists.”
To celebrate the unveiling of these murals, Pure Leaf is partnering with Ladies Who Launch to introduce the “No Burnout, More Balance Program.” Rooted in their three pillars of inspiration, education, and community, Ladies Who Launch works to reduce obstacles and give women business owners the unfair advantage that is afforded to male peers. The program will provide $100,000 in grants to help members ease their stress and reduce burnout. These grants may go towards childcare, mental health counseling, wellness or mindfulness activities, community building meetups, and more.
“I’m super excited to have been given the opportunity to bring Arielle Estoria’s poem, ‘The Beautiful Art of No,’ to life for New Yorkers,” says Estoria regarding the murals. “Pure Leaf has created space for the "No is Beautiful" message to encourage people to find balance as New York City returns to its pre-pandemic and fast-paced energy of everything and everyone moving at lightning speed! I hope that my family, friends, colleagues, and fellow New Yorkers will visit these murals, share the message with their inner circles, feel empowered to make more room for themselves, and to embrace the beauty of their No!”
Find the Williamsburg mural at Wythe Ave & N 13th St and the Manhattan mural at 8th Ave & 35th St. They will be on display from November 1 to November 21, 2021.
Photography by: Courtesy of Pure Leaf
