we root, we leaf
by Rachel Devins

My beloved friend, Rachel Devins, wrote the contents of this book. But cancer took her life before she could fulfill her wish to publish her poetry and writing. So I was honored to work with a team of amazing and dedicated women to posthumously publish “we root, we leaf” for Rachel and the world.

We root, we leaf is available on amazon.ca and amazon.com, and we created the site werootweleafbyracheldevins.blog as an informative resource about Rachel, the whole project, its cause, and how readers can support.

Below is an explanation of the concept I used in the cover art and page design throughout the book:

About the Art

Rachel had gorgeous, dark curlicue hair. Her symbolic writing about her hair and its loss—combined with her love of trees and plants (literal and metaphorical)—inspired the cover and page art for the book, as well as its title “we root, we leaf.”

“Rachel had gorgeous, dark curlicue hair. Her symbolic writing about her hair and its loss—combined with her love of trees and plants (literal and metaphorical)—inspired the cover and page art for the book, as well as its title ‘we root, we leaf’.”

Rachel worked hard to twist her roots deep into mysterious soil, deep into minds and hearts—while her branches and tendrils reached out with bright leaves of language, love, playfulness and connection—open to the world and all it offers.

The front cover’s inversion of sky and ground represents the idea that our space and time have perpetually cyclical layers. Our roots and branches not only stretch in opposition away from one another, but also reach toward each other—continuing the cycle.

“The front cover’s inversion of sky and ground represents the idea that our space and time have perpetually cyclical layers. Our roots and branches not only stretch in opposition away from one another, but also reach toward each other—continuing the cycle.”

The imagery touches on the space between life and death—where creative work and memories live in a fluid, timeless field between digging down and stretching up. A place that holds life, spirit, and voice beyond our earthly life.

Plus, Rachel had the beautiful ability to see the world from a different, unique perspective—so we loved the idea of inverting what might normally be expected. It is as if Rachel herself flopped down with her head hanging off her bed in an effort to see her own roots—wondering at her tendrils and leaves growing with a new, playful, colourful twist.

The bright leaf is an expression of her vibrant spirit.

On the back cover, the curls have become the wind carrying her message. The wind is the invisible energy of the earth—and it is us.

On the inside pages, the curling tendrils echo the theme of growth, cycles, and connection.