For this week’s Ms Friday, it seems appropriate to use a disgruntled New School grad. Susana graduated from Parsons, the New School for Design, last spring. She booked it straight out of the city and set up her sexy new life in Savannah Georgia, home of the Girl Scouts. Susana is getting her master’s at SCAD, helping run the Savannah branch of Dr. Sketchy’s , immersing herself in the burgeoning burlesque scene and of course, making art!
And now Susana Stuart answers a few questions for BUST:
what is the best/worst advice you ever got from your mom?
‘If you’re ever in an abusive relationship, get a gun. Cops don’t come until it’s too late.’
what is your favorite petting zoo animal?
Goats, definitely.
what are your favorite materials to work with?
Graphite pencil and ink.
if your art was music/food, what would it sound/taste like?
Lounge music and a gin gimlet!
what artists/musicians/writers influence your work?
Artistically, I’m influenced by Shag, Ingres, Modigliani, Sailor Jerry, and a bunch of other people no one has ever heard of. I love music and always have a 60s-spy-movie-style radio station on when I’m working.
what themes repeatedly haunt your work?
Death, death, death, oh, yeah, and death. Seriously, I draw a lot of dead things, body parts, and zombies. Lots of burlesque work, sideshows, and strippers as well.
whose opinion influences you the most?
Probably my dad’s. We’re into the same things.
what would you be if you weren’t an artist?
When I was little I wanted to be a forensic pathologist. My high school job-placement test said the ideal job for me would be ice cream salesman.
what roles do escapism and reality play in your work?
My work tends to be grounded in reality, it just takes a bit of a different angle on it. I guess you could say that my work is somewhat escapist since it deals with things like circuses, cabarets and the like.
if you could only draw one thing thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Hm, well, burlesque girls or zombies! There’s an endless variety, there’s always going to be a market for em, and you will get paid for either one.
if you were a bird, what kind would you be?
Several quizzes have said I’m a duck, and I’m certainly content with that. Ducks are cute and friendly. We can’t all be peacocks.
Rock on Susana! Thanks for Talking to BUST.
make sure and check out her website!
-Emma Onstott
