Meet Suzy Birstein | Visual Artist and Mentor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Suzy Birstein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Suzy, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Shoutout LA Why did I pursue an artistic and creative life

I have always loved to sing, dance and play dress up. My happiest moments with my mother were watching Hollywood musicals – so joyfully romantic and glamorous ->I wanted to be a movie star. I would write to movie stars, inviting them to sleep on our couch. Their fan clubs would send me autographed photos which I’d hang on my bedroom walls, dreaming “That will be me”.

And so, I sang, cartwheeled, tap danced and compulsively landed in the splits, thinking about my creative life to come.

The summer between high school and university, I rented a Du Cheveux with my best friend. We hostelled our way across Europe. I became enthralled with the world of art and travel: I recognized what it felt to be fully present.

I returned to Canada to attend university. I had no idea I could be studying art.
I stayed at university long enough to fall in love with my future husband, know the world of academia was not for me and soon returned to Europe.

This was the “Europe on $5.00 a Day” It was Hippy Heaven.
For 6 months, I lived on Greek Island beaches, listened to Joni Mitchell on Crete, the island where she wrote “Blue” and met interesting people from all over the world.
I could not have been happier. I would have stayed forever, if I hadn’t longed for my boyfriend in Canada. I returned home, knowing Europe would be there if he was not.

Serendipitously, a friend from university asked me to be her artist model. It seems, I was a natural and my world changed. I became a sought after artist model landing at an alternative art centre in Toronto, where I was exposed to the leading artists of the time. As a perk, I could attend painting, design, dance and ceramics classes for free. It was in the ceramics studio that I felt most at home, along with spinning and weaving, knitting, crochet and embroidering.

I was in love – with art, my boyfriend, travel…..

As my partner didn’t see himself as a traveller, he suggested the next best thing – that we drive across the country to Vancouver, where we would live in a farmhouse on the beach! We were young. Knowing nobody, with no jobs, we drove our orange Toyota across the country, loaded with ceramic pots, a table loom, stereo equipment and camping gear.
Before I knew it, I was enrolled at what is now Emily Carr University studying Ceramics.

There are 2 very important things I learned in my early 20’s, while pursuing my creative path: The only thing that made me feel as present and engaged as travel was creating art, with all its’ unpredictability, experimentation, playfulness and digging deep. The other thing I understood was that I wanted the objects of my creation to be on exhibit, rather than my person on stage.

Both my parents had a major influence on my choosing this journey. Both were very creative – my dad a cartoonist, my mom a writer. In their time, most women had to choose between career and family and most men had to provide for those families.
My mom was always torn. She suffered from depression and anxiety. Their dream was to create opportunities for their children to live their most authentic life. In fact, for our wedding present, they bought us a kiln saying “Happy Wife, Happy Life”

I have never looked back. We live 3 blocks from the beach in Vancouver. We have a beautiful family, I have a clay studio from home and a painting studio/gallery from a warehouse housing over 100 artists. I have travelled throughout Canada, the US, Cambodia, Mexico and Europe. I have returned to the islands of Greece many times, as the artist and workshop leader I have become.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Early in my career, I was told not to confuse what I create with who I am. Learning to differentiate “rejection by art jury” from validity of art and artist, has been a huge challenge which, thankfully I’ve overcome.

Paradoxically, I do feel that my art and person are all of a piece. I’m often told I look like my art and my art looks like me. The look of my home and studio, my teachings to students – all are in harmony with with how I strive to live my most authentic self: to learn from the past, to be most present, to enhance the future.

I think this is ultimately what sets me apart.

My love for art and travel, parenting and mentoring has been the foundation for my two most recent and compelling bodies of work.

The first series is art historically based. It began while travelling throughout Spain where I experienced Velasquez’ masterpiece, “Las Meninas”. “Las Meninas”, means “ladies-in-waiting” or “ladies of honour”. I was fortunate to see the original at the Prado but, in fact, this icon is visible all over Spain, in every tourist product imaginable!
“Las Meninas” followed me to the studio, making their way into my ceramic sculptures and then onto canvas. These reinterpretations of Velasquez’ painting culminated with my painting and series titled “Ladies-NOT-Waiting” , where I have replaced Velasquez’ figures with my ceramic figures, his self portrait as artist with my self portrait as artist.

The “Ladies-NOT-Waiting” series has blossomed into a large body of work referencing art history. Although I was initially drawn to the stories and imaginings behind the women/muses portrayed by male artists I have become fascinated with women as artists, expressing their truth, often as self portraits, such as Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini….

Which has led to my 2nd series, “Tsipora” self portraits in spirit.
Tsipora is my Hebrew name and means “Bird”. “Tsipora, A Place to Land” looks deep into the parts of birds we envy and emulate: flight, travel, freedom and movement as well as settling, nesting, making and growing. . Their surfaces reference ancient sites from Cambodia, Europe and Mexico. With covid, they entered a time of reflection and self reflection. They became pregnant – pregnant with life – adorned with birds and flowers, surfaced in gold, white and fragmented mirror.

These two series are merging into one. They will be exhibited in a solo retrospective in 2025. I’m very excited to step into this unknown/known territory.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in gorgeous Vancouver, Canada surrounded by sea, mountains and forest with a lively multicultural and artistic community.

We would definitely explore Stanley Park, Van Dusen Gardens and the MacBlo Conservatory to appreciate gorgeous greenery. As an insider beach tour, we would walk 6 km from Kits Beach to Wreck Beach – natural coastline and tide pools, view of the city and mountains, behind beautiful houses above the cliff.

Vancouver is a foodie city, ranging from seaside restaurants on Granville Island and Yaletown to funky vegan and ethnic cafes along Commercial Drive and Main Street. My favourites: “Meet” for fired sweet chill cauliflower, “Hydra” for Happy Hour and Greek rose, and Vij’s for gourmet Indian food by celebrity chef.

For culture, we would visit The Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver Art Gallery for art, The Culch and PlayHouse for theatre and numerous local art studios included in the Eastside Culture Crawl – with a huge emphasis on 1000 Parker Street Studios featuring over 150 artists, including myself!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am fortunate to have very long term relationships with incredibly generous, loving and independent spirits, who have been my cheerleaders forever! A HUGE shout out to my most wonderful husband/chef who has always encouraged me to follow my bliss and to our 2 sons who have the biggest hearts in the world and pass this on to all in their spheres. . I thank my parents who gave to me what they couldn’t give to themselves. I am grateful to my extended family of friends who are always there for me, personally and professionally. I particularly want to thank artist/mentors Sally Michener, Geoff Rees, Lisa Clague, Debra Fritts and Pennylane Chen, Dr Angela Clarke and the amazing creative community at Parker Street Studios and Culture Crawl. I can’t express enough how proud I am to mentor young students and be in their lives as adults from Arts Umbrella for over 30 years, with special applause to Carol, Paul and my beloved Melanie. Thank you to Jill and Gloria at Skopart for the opportunities re art/travel, and to Frank Sinatra serenading me in the studio!! Last but not least, I am grateful to the inspiration from my “spirit mentors :Frida Kahlo, Leonor Fini, Leonora Carrington and Picasso.

Website: https://www.suzybirstein.com

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Image Credits
Britt Kwasney Byron Chauncy Alan Somerville