Daughters of the Stars, by Mary Crary 

Editor: So, here we have Mary Crary's watercolor work, "Daughters of the Stars." It’s giving me this surreal, dreamy quality, with its almost naive rendering. The colour palette seems muted, creating this sense of a faraway, mythical land. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s tempting to fall into the whimsy of this watercolor illustration, isn't it? I see a commentary on access, on who gets to ascend. Notice the military figure guarding the path leading up to what appears to be a celestial fortress. Who is allowed passage? What power structures are being subtly reinforced within this fantastic scene? Is it the "daughters," specifically, who get a pass? What statement is being made about female agency? Editor: I didn't really notice the sort of…gatekeeper aspect of the military figure at first. I was too focused on the dreamy landscape, I suppose! The mother and child feel almost secondary to that figure. Curator: Exactly! The setting appears magical, but is the presence of that character there to signal something more insidious? To temper any optimism that we may experience when viewing what otherwise looks to be an idyllic or utopian scene? The fortress almost feels like a white-washed dream, constructed upon principles of exclusivity. Is the artist drawing on contemporary class or racial tensions to craft a message about privilege, disguised within what is being styled as naive fantasy-art? Editor: That really shifts how I view the work now. I appreciate how you've highlighted this hidden tension, it makes it far more complex. Curator: Right! Considering these issues enriches our engagement. These artistic conversations are about prompting questions, expanding perspectives and using historical context to understand modern day structures.