Black Girl Magic: Designer, Illustrator & Educator, Andrea Pippins

Andrea Pippins is a designer, illustrator, and educator who began harnessing her artistic talent into a BFA in graphic design and later earned her MFA at Temple University-Tyler School of Art. After teaching design full-time for five years, Andrea took a break from teaching to work on freelance illustration and design projects.
We are stunned at the magnificence of the work she churns out and absolutely crazy about her vision for women and girls!
In November 2015 Andrea published her first book, I Love My Hair, with Random House Children’s Books/Schwartz & Wade. I Love My Hair is a coloring book featuring her illustrations celebrating various hairstyles and textures. In 2016 she released her second book, Becoming Me, for young women to color, doodle, and brainstorm their way to a creative life. Her vision is to empower women and girls of color and people in marginalized communities with visual tools to own and tell their own stories.
She recently created an illustration for the Association for Women’s Rights in Development(AWID) Movements Matter digital visual arts series.

A close-up of an illustration I worked on about women using their voices to speak up against sexual violence. We ended up going in totally different direction but I wanted to share this version. #artismyweapon

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Jan 29, 2017 at 9:55am PST

Had the pleasure of being one of 11 featured artists to create an illustration for the @awidwomensrights Movements Matter digital visual arts series. Check out their website to see other works celebrating how movements "build collective and compelling political power for human rights, equality and justice."

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Feb 2, 2017 at 11:04am PST

More awesome coloring, this time from @watchjomove! Thanks for sharing, lady! #repost #iheartmyhair

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Jan 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PST

Not to revisit the devastation of Election Day 2016, but in honor of our day of voting, I did have the lovely opportunity to do an illustration celebrating Fannie Lou Hamer for a @lennyletter essay about her courage. Regardless of the outcome her spirit holds true, our "sick and tired" should be the fire that makes us stand up for what we believe in every day.

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Nov 30, 2016 at 11:50am PST

A close-up of a painting I did years ago that my mom refuses to throw away.

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Oct 7, 2016 at 4:31pm PDT

When I gave away Becoming Me stickers a few weeks ago I surprised winners with an I Love My Hair sticker. I'm out of those now, but I'll be giving away more stickers at all book tour stops. #regram from @devstanfield #BecomingMeBook #stickers #stickermule

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Oct 27, 2016 at 9:18pm PDT

I had such a wonderful time speaking and teaching a workshop at RISD over the weekend. One of the things I talked about was how being a prepubescent teen in the early 90s influenced my identity and how exposure to powerful black imagery in media helped inform who I am, my work, and mission. Because I saw myself reflected in so many different ways (Living Single, A Different World, in Living Color, Love Jones, Crooklyn, Teen Summit, Boomerang, Moesha, Essence, YSB, VIBE, to name a few) there was never a question that I belonged and that my story mattered. Because of their work and the work of others before then I am empowered and privileged to define who I am while paving the way for others to do the same.

A post shared by Andrea Pippins (@andreapippins) on Jan 17, 2017 at 9:33am PST

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGE6izcIySD/?taken-by=andreapippins

You should check out Andrea’s website, it’s like entering a multiverse of infinite possibilities. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.