Work Hard. Be Kind.
When commissioned for the project, the expectation was far from the solution. The goal was to create a piece that got right to the essence of the message. Every detail and crevice of the execution had to convey Work Hard, Be Kind. It was time to step outside of the comfort zone behind our monitors and laptop screens and make something that was intentionally difficult, permanent, and timeless.
Every design decision tied right to the message. It started with an old piece of wood that I found at a scrap yard. I retrieved the wood block, scrubbed off the years of old dirt that was on it, and painted it with a matte, chalkboard acrylic. While ideating the design, I wanted the work to convey "kill 'em with kindness." In that the greatest strength comes from being kind to others, so that we might keep working hard. The design needed to feel tough, but loving.
Floral, ornamental tattoos were depicted on the bicep to convey sensitivity through the flexing, tough muscle. "TKO XOXO" is symbolic to knocking them out with kindness. Gold was used on the black paint to depict a sense of royalty, as "Work Hard Be Kind" was Rachael's golden rule.
