This series of flower paintings, Women’s Work, is an ongoing series that explores the feminist undertones of the flower. In the history of art, women were frequently only allowed certain artistic activities if at all, and flowers were considered a suitable motif, especially in the 19th century, such as in embroidery, collage and botanical depictions. This series takes that admonition to heart and pushes back on the idea that the flower is a lesser, decorative, even cliché subject in art and painting.
The flower is also such a familiar symbol, used in abundance on our clothes, in the decoration of our living spaces both inside and out. It is difficult to walk into a room or environment almost anywhere and not see something floral. The flower is often seen as a sign of comfort, beauty, softness and is thought to be soothing and reassuring, all qualities often associated with feminine archetypes or stereotypes.
Women’s Work accepts that notion. Somehow seeing flowers does really spark joy. But beyond the sometimes simple beauty of the flower lies a great deal of power and expression. Flowering plants, after all, are one of the greatest revolutions in the plant kingdom, offering a much more efficient way to propagate and conquer the planet compared to the reproductive organs of their more primitive passive ancestors.
Susan Spies is a jeweler, translator and painter based in Asheville, North Carolina. She holds an Associate’s degree in metalsmithing, a Master’s in translation, whereas with painting, she is self-taught. Besides the flower and the foundations of female power, her paintings also explore color and the expressiveness of paint, in homage to all the many great abstract expressionists of then and now, as well as several representational artists who dared let process take over the image without ever really abandoning painting what they see.