20 Mar Uncovering May Gibbs in 2017
Uncovering May Gibbs in 2017
May Gibbs, Ethel Turner and Mary Grant Bruce wrote lovingly in their books about the unique flowers and bush environment of Australia
1918 is the Centenary Year of the publication of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie
Uncovering May Gibbs helped audience rediscover the enchantment Ethel Turner, May Gibbs and Mary Grant Bruce gave to readers, both adults and children,
who were interested in the Australian arts, bush environment and stories.
May Gibbs lived in Western Australia from 1885 until 1909 when she left South Perth for the first time for art school in London. Initially as a child when she lived in Harvey she loved to ride on her pony “Brownie” discovering all the local wild flowers and bush creatures that she later made famous in her many illustrations and stories. She always loved to return to Perth even after she was married to James Ossoli Kelly, an Irish mining agent in Western Australia, and they had moved to Sydney in 1913. Adults remember her books with affection and children still love to discover them, particularly Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and the wise old Kookaburra.
Ethel Turner wrote the very popular Seven Little Australians and many other titles. Mary Grant Bruce wrote all the Billabong stories. After 1913 the three women published during the same years and would have known each other. Ethel Turner was established before May Gibbs and in fact May did some illustrations for Ethel’s work. Another illustrator in some of Ethel’s books was David Henry Souter. I mention this in passing because he was a relative of my grand mother Elsie Souter. I like to have even the most tenuous of links between the plays and Enderslea Farm!
May Gibbs Drawing of “Are We Downhearted?” is my favourite of all her Drawings.
“Are We Downhearted “was a World War One drawing first published in Westralia Gift Book in 1916.
UNCOVERING MAY GIBBS is the first play devoted to May’s early life in Harvey, Perth and London. Her later illustrations, portraits, poems, cartoons and books later made her an Australian Icon. Ethel, May and Mary all had the same problems with their publishers over their work. Ethel Turner and Mary Grant Bruce in particular wanted to write for an adult readership but it was always their children’s books that sold well. May’s husband is usually neglected in biographies but he is given a strong role in the play. James Ossoli Kelly, a charming Irishman, was a pioneer of the Western Australian goldfields both in Coolgardie and Marble Bar and thus has special interest for West Australians.
The play was written and directed by Jenny Davis and waUNCOVERING mAY gIBBS IN 2017 produced by Diane Pope