Ecclesiastical Vestment c. 1939

Syrena Swanson, who lived between 1855 and 1995, made this drawing of an ecclesiastical vestment, though we don't know when exactly. Look at how the floral motifs and cross are rendered with a tender hand and soft color. I can just imagine the artist absorbed in the process, maybe sketching from an actual embroidered vestment. The drawing feels deeply personal, as if Swanson is recording a fleeting moment of beauty. There's something very poignant about the repetition of the floral motifs, and the delicate balance between the decorative elements and the overall structure of the design. Swanson has a distinct style, and in that, she is in dialogue with other artists across time who find inspiration in the everyday, transforming it into something extraordinary. I wonder how this connects to her wider body of work—I can imagine similar themes and motifs appearing across her oeuvre. It's as if the drawing becomes a portal into Swanson’s inner world, inviting us to reflect on our own experiences of beauty, meaning, and purpose.