Excerpt: Beneath the rough outline of an entryway, a child surveys the strange space surrounding her. Washes of blue paint in the background and sky convey the stillness of the evening hours or early morning. The architecture is unresolved. The trees are loose wisps in the background. Likewise, the painting seems to have unfolded quickly, confidently.
In Sister Studio, Suzanne Schireson imagines constructing a studio space for her young daughter. For Schierson, the studio connotes any space where any type of creative act can take place. Having a creative outlet is—for Schireson and many others—an important way she cares for herself. In her painting, she fixates less on the specific dimensions or appearance of the building, highlighting instead the necessity of its existence. Creating the painting underscores the need for such a place to exist for her daughter, maybe for all daughters.
