As a young rural woman, you were always taught to work. Work hard, support each other and don’t let down the team. However, when I decided to quit my comfortable corporate job a week before COVID-19, I went against all of those working values and threw in the towel. However, the time in isolation and solitude brought out an immense amount of creativity; probably more than what I thought I had in me and a determination to be like Nike, and just do it.

With no work going in my field and visions of people queuing to get into Centrelink, I decided to filter all my energy into being inspired by pink lipstick. Yep, pink lipstick. I have vivid memories of my mother and grandmother throwing on some pink lipstick no matter what the occasion was; a last-minute dash to town for chemical or fertiliser, visitors turning up unexpectedly, or just because. Even in dusty work shirts and torn jeans, the pink lippy would come out. Pink lipstick is for me something which represents independence, confidence, gumption and looking up to regional women who have these qualities and rock this shade of lippy. So, I thought of no better inspiration for The Pink Lipstick Project.

Whilst working on this project, I discovered that everyone seems to have a memory of pink lipstick. Whether it be their first tube of lipstick which they saved up their pocket money for, Porphyry Pearl, their pre-school teachers, or being inspired by a primary school principal, it seems to be that pink lippy evokes so many comfortable and loving memories for all. I think I speak for most countrywomen when I say that pink lipstick rarely brings up a negative memory of someone; it is always a memory of something or someone which is joyous.

That is my hope for us all during this time and moving forward into the future; that we find joy, which causes us all to be kind to one another. Everyone has a different story, background, beliefs, and upbringing, just like all of us wear different lipstick shades. But I hope through this little bit of creativity that we can all come together and create a community which wearing pink lipstick can fuel; confidence, independence, gumption and joy, ready to face whatever 2020 and beyond decides to throw at us next! All whilst wearing our best shade of pink lippy of course!