Indelible Origins: Space for Black Queer and Trans Creative Futures in Bronzeville

January 20, 2025

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Clemenstien Love’s Greystone Home and Studio stands as a beacon of resilience and creativity, an ode to the rich and boundless possibilities of Black art.

Image: Clemenstien Love stands in The Greystone looking outside through open french doors. Her hands are on each of the doors as she looks outside with purpose. Photograph by Tonal Simmons.

“I’ve created spaces for others—for significant others. Because we are significant!” — Clemenstien Love

On a quiet residential street in Bronzeville sits a four-story greystone apartment. While the building blends seamlessly with its surroundings, just beyond its French double doors reveals something extraordinary.

Image: A still life photograph of a room in the Greystone Home and Studio. At the center is a wooden credenza in front of a wood panel wall. Two golden lamps sit on each edge of the credenza. At the center of the credenza are old books, glass vases, a leather purse on top of large books, and dry flowers in a glass vase. On the left side of the credenza are rolls of fabric in various colors. Photograph by Tonal Simmons. — Image: A still life photograph of a room in The Greystone Home and Studio. At the center is a wooden credenza in front of a wood panel wall. Two golden lamps sit on each edge of the credenza. At the center of the credenza are old books, glass vases, a leather purse on top of large books, and dry flowers in a glass vase. On the left side of the credenza are rolls of fabric in various colors. Photograph by Tonal Simmons.

Thoughtfully restored and reimagined by architect and artist Clemenstien Love, The Greystone Home and Studio is one of several creative havens on Chicago’s South Side where Black art and community comfortably intersect. The home’s magic lies in the details. Wooden trim molding welcomes visitors upstairs to the second-floor gallery. From the landing, guests can see a piece of work by resident artist Aidan Anne Frierson, a blue sheet of handmade paper with hand-painted cowrie shells framing the words that read in bold white letters, “These Stories Are All True.” Mounted on the walls are delicate objects that hold significance. Every corner, from the hallway to the gallery trim, displays art—a harmonious layering of current exhibitions and remnants of past workshops from artists living here.

Image: An interior photograph of a room with three large windows. Two armchairs sit underneath two windows with a wood table in the center. Photography by Tonal Simmons. — Image (left): An interior photograph of a room with three large windows. Two armchairs sit underneath two windows with a wood table in the center. Image (right): An interior photograph of a room in The Greystone Home and Studio. Two light colored checkered armchairs with beige bolster pillows and furs wrapped around the back of the chairs sit at the center of the room on top of a cowhide rug. Photography by Tonal Simmons.

Image: An interior photograph of a room in the Greystone Home and Studio. Two light colored checkered armchairs with beige bolster pillows and furs wrapped around the back of the chairs sit at the center of the room on top of a cowhide rug. Photography by Tonal Simmons. — Image (left): An interior photograph of a room with three large windows. Two armchairs sit underneath two windows with a wood table in the center. Image (right): An interior photograph of a room in The Greystone Home and Studio. Two light colored checkered armchairs with beige bolster pillows and furs wrapped around the back of the chairs sit at the center of the room on top of a cowhide rug. Photography by Tonal Simmons.

Image: An interior photograph of a library room in the Greystone Home and Studio. A wall of bookshelves holds stacks of hardback books of various colors. On the left of the room is a reading bench and foot stool. On the right of the room is a wood chair and a side table with two gold lamps on them. Photography by Tonal Simmons. — Image: An interior photograph of a library room in The Greystone Home and Studio. A wall of bookshelves holds stacks of hardback books of various colors. On the left of the room is a reading bench and foot stool. On the right of the room is a wood chair and a side table with two gold lamps on them. Photograph by Tonal Simmons.

If these walls could talk, they would recount a story that spans over twenty-two years of Love’s life with her family in this four-flat greystone building. A proud native of Englewood, Love found early inspiration in the architecture surrounding her. From Chicago bungalows and places of worship to her mother’s refined eye for holiday decor, Love developed a deep reverence for the beauty in details.

Her desire to build and shape spaces has ancestral roots—her grandfather was an architect, and her great-grandfather was a mason. Learning this family history helped fuel her ambitions, which eventually led her to London where she explored historic house museums after graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Later, while at Robert A.M. Stern Architects in New York, she gained insight into working in the field of architecture. When she began thinking of her own space to design, she knew returning home to Chicago would make the most significant impact on her and her legacy. Shortly after returning, she joined Nia Architects, a Black-owned firm, where she began working on a project for affordable housing. Here, she learned how to archive a construction site, which would come in handy for interior designing and archiving her home—her home that would later become The Greystone Home and Studio.

Image: A photograph of an interior room of the Greystone Home and Studio that exhibits printed photographs on the left wall. At the center are two tables that have glass vases, pens, and papers on top. Photograph by Tonal Simmons. — Image: A photograph of an interior room of The Greystone Home and Studio that exhibits printed photographs on the left wall. At the center are two tables that have glass vases, pens, and papers on top. Photograph by Tonal Simmons.

These experiences imbued in Love the confidence to create spaces for herself and other Black artists. From purchasing a property with her sister in 2003 to establishing an artist space in 2023, Love seized the opportunity to create The Greystone Home and Studio. The space is designed for creatives to live and learn, featuring two apartments and four artist studios specifically available to Black Queer and Trans artists. On the second floor, the bedrooms have been transformed into studios, and the parlor serves as an exhibition space showcasing a rotating selection of works from the resident artists.

For over a century, Black women, queer, and trans people have pooled resources to claim space in Chicago while combating systemic barriers to equitable housing, education, and economic mobility. The Greystone Home and Studio is part of Chicago’s long history of artist-led collective spaces. Inspired by figures like Margaret Burroughs, co-founder of the Southside Community Art Center, Love sought to create a space for Black artistry to flourish that is affordable and attainable.

Love’s efforts join collectives like Tea House Collective, Englewood Arts Collective, Fourtunehouse Art Center, The.BlkRoom, and many other redesigned spaces across the city. These spaces emphasize the necessity of financial support and communal effort to sustain the arts, especially for underrepresented voices.

Left Image: Detail shot of a wood mantel with dried herbs, scraps of fabric, and art objects. Photography by Tonal Simmons. — Left Image: Detail shot of a wood mantel with dried herbs, scraps of fabric, and art objects. Center Image: A portrait of Clemenstien Love in the doorway leaning against a wall with her hands behind her back and her legs crossed at the ankles. Right Image: An image of a wooden framed blueprint of a Meditation Chamber in The Greystone Home and Studio. Photography by Tonal Simmons.

Center Image: A portrait of Clemenstein Love in the doorway of the Greystone Studio and Home. She is leaning against a wall with her hands behind her back and her legs crossed at the ankles. She looks directly at the camera. Photography by Tonal Simmons. — Left Image: Detail shot of a wood mantel with dried herbs, scraps of fabric, and art objects. Center Image: A portrait of Clemenstien Love in the doorway leaning against a wall with her hands behind her back and her legs crossed at the ankles. Right Image: An image of a wooden framed blueprint of a Meditation Chamber in The Greystone Home and Studio. Photography by Tonal Simmons.

This past April, The Collective at The Greystone Home and Studio hosted its one-year anniversary with a group show titled Indelible Origins, supported by the Artist Run Chicago Fund through the Hyde Park Art Center and Art Design Chicago. Each artist had a solo exhibit from April through November and conducted an artist workshop. The show concluded with Love opening her apartment and living archive of the history of The Greystone Home and Studio to the public for the first time, sharing where she began.

“What is the origin of the people and the places we represent?” Love asks, her voice imbued with conviction. “I saw this as an opportunity to create a cherished space and time to celebrate the artist.”

The vibrant journey of an artist requires dedication to one’s craft and the courage to embrace the exciting twists and turns each project presents. Even when you are uncertain where it may go and even when it may take decades to fulfill, this artistic surrender process is unattainable without access to a safe and affordable studio space. Once people have space to evolve wonderfully, they have space to pour into their community.

Image: A close-up shot of glass table with prototypes of various imagined rooms in the Greystone. Photography by Tonal Simmons. — Image: A close-up shot of glass table with prototypes of various imagined rooms in The Greystone Home and Studio. Photograph by Tonal Simmons.

Love’s home is not only a testament to her artistry but evidence of the fertile community and Black cultural history of Bronzeville. The recent unveiling of The Greystone Home and Studio, alongside her welcoming apartment, provided an opportunity to highlight Love’s approach to interior design and spatial planning, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the living piece of art that is The Greystone Home and Studio. It is a lifelong project that has been sustained by the time Love spends supporting others as much as herself.

“I’m connecting with artists who are present in the studios and spaces I’ve created, allowing me to discuss their creative processes and aspirations,” Love shares with a sense of humor. “I have found the ideal environment to work as a designer, artist, and creative mentor.”

Image: A photograph of Clemenstein Love in her studio standing in front of a wall of printed photographs. In the forefront is a glass desk with various glass vases, photographs, and containers on top. Photograph by Tonal Simmons. — Image: A photograph of Clemenstien Love in her studio standing in front of a wall of printed photographs. In the forefront is a glass desk with various glass vases, photographs, and containers on top. Photograph by Tonal Simmons.

Clemenstien Love’s work is a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of space—both physical and communal—in the lives of artists. The Greystone Home and Studio stands as a beacon of resilience and creativity, an ode to the rich and boundless possibilities of Black art. In creating this sanctuary, Love not only honors the legacy of those who came before her but also sows the seeds for future generations of Black women, queer, and trans artists to thrive. It is a testament to the idea that when we pour into our communities, we create spaces where art, identity, and history converge, leaving a legacy of empowerment and beauty for years to come.

About the Author and Photographer: Tonal (tuh-nawl) (they/them), is a bi-racial Black non-binary Photographer from the Midwestern city of Kalamazoo, MI, where tall grass and even taller trees first nurtured their creative spirit. Currently based in the vibrant city of Chicago, IL, Tonal’s artistic journey is a testament to the power of self-discovery and passionate exploration through community. Inspired by the authenticity of Chicago’s Black Queer art scene, their artistry is a symphony of colors, emotions, and storytelling, as they skillfully weave vibrant and authentic narratives of Black and Brown 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Their portrait work invites viewers to pause and witness the fullness of Black and Brown queer personhood in bloom.