In 1899 Sigrid began her studies in the Finnish Association of Arts Drawing School in Helsinki, where her teachers included Carl Jahn and Helene Schjerfbeck.

After this she moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, and continued studying in Florence and in Paris, where she was at the Academie de la Palette in 1910 before travelling in Egypt.

In 1920 Schauman started work in the newspaper Dagens Press (from 1922 Svenska Pressen, from 1945 Nya Pressen) as an art critic, and worked for the newspaper for almost 30 years, publishing over 1500 art reviews, interviews and travel reports.

She retired in 1949, but continued painting on a grant provided by the City of Helsinki and an artist's pension from the State of Finland.

Even a year before her death, Schauman participated in a retrospective exhibition held in honour of her 100th birthday in the Amos Anderson Art Museum.