Crown of Beauty: The media has a distorted view of what "true beauty" is. What are you doing to change that perspective?
Emily: The Reveals on our website are used not only to showcase the woman in that particular story, but also to encourage other women and to challenge their perspective on beauty. One glance at a room full of women will show you that no two of us looks the same, but reading our Reveal stories also shows you that no two of us should. I often use the illustration of a flower garden to describe how the media views beauty. When you walk into a garden you are dazzled by all the different flowers. The various shapes, sizes, colors, and needs makes each one of them distinct and wonderful in their own unique way. Our culture holds up one flower, a daisy for example, and tells all the other flowers to look like that. If you're a rose who starts trying to look like a daisy, not only are you on an incessant mission to change your natural form, you are also missing out on the gift of beauty that is yours, that is inherent. Through featuring women as they are, as they choose to express themselves and as their life story illustrates, we are saying loud and clear that the most beautiful you is the you that embraces you, and determines not to change, but focuses your efforts on being the best lily, daffodil, or bluebell you can be. The flower illustration is one my mom gave me when I was a little girl. I never knew how heavily it would impact me and so many other women!
Crown of Beauty: Share one of your favorite memories about either a photo-shoot, or feedback you got from a girl who was empowered by this project. How is this encouraging and strengthening girls in their walk with God, and simply in their own self-confidence?
"After seeing (daughter's name) come home BEAMING, I realized that what you are doing is something I wish every single teen could experience. You are literally calling forth beauty, calling forth what was created by God for good...the same things that are so often stolen or distorted or wrecked by the enemy and the world. Beauty is GOOD, and as I was looking at your website tonight and seeing your Margaret story, I just felt my heart leap. Seriously, you captured her spirit. (Daughter's name) was glowing from the time I picked her up...she felt so understood. Thanks for lighting up her spirit again with bits of truth and real beauty."
-Marlisa E./Mom
Emily: That is the first full response I got from Verity Vareé, and it literally sent me soaring. Realizing that I was helping people feel the way I had always longed to feel, was just about the best thing I could have asked for. Another incredible response was from an older woman who did a Reveal with us. She said telling her story and getting to share gave her hope, encouragement, and filled her with life. Any emails that are encouraging and true just send me to the stars. I can't properly express how fulfilling it is to know that I am a part of something so much bigger than myself. I'm not the creator of this truth about beauty, simply the messenger to a small audience through this creative pursuit. The encouragement and strengthening of women is simply this: When a woman does a Reveal with us she is literally claiming and shouting the truth, "I am beautiful."
Photography- LaRue Photography
https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLaRuePhotography
Company-Verity Vareé
http://www.verityvaree.com/
https://www.facebook.com/verityvaree