07 Mar ‘Uncovering May Gibbs’ 2017 Enderslea Farm Play
“Are We Downhearted?”
May was commissioned to do a number of educational illustrations when she moved to Sydney
Little Ragged Blossom is one of the May Gibbs books held in the Enderslea Farm Collection
May Gibbs Drawing of “Are We Downhearted?” is my favourite of all her Drawings. It was printed in Westralia Gift Book in July 1916 before she published Gumnut Babies for Christmas that year. It was a World War One fundraiser for YMCA Military Work and Returned Nurses Fund.
‘UNCOVERING MAY GIBBS‘
is the title of the next play commissioned for Enderslea Farm. It will be first performed during the Bindoon Wildflower Festival
September 2017
Friday 15th 2pm, Saturday 16th 11am and 2pm
Sunday 20th 2pm September 2017
As always a delicious morning or afternoon tea will be catered by the
Country Womens Association.
Ticket Price: $37
Bookings are necessary and can be made by Telephoning Diane Pope at 08 93865575
or Bookings at:www.trybooking.com/211681
Jenny Davis has written and Diane Pope will produce a marvelously creative entertainment.This title has been selected as a gentle reminder that all the little creatures in May’s Australian books are nude. This was one of the reasons that these books were initially refused publication in England and North America Another reason was that that Australian animals were considered too far away and exotic for young English and American children in 1916.
Mr and Mrs Bear is another of May Gibbs books. Many of them are first editions, held in the Enderslea Farm book collection.
‘UNCOVERING MAY GIBBS’ will also remind many West Australians that 2018 is the CENTENARY YEAR of the publication by May Gibbs (1877-1969) of the book that was to become an Australian Classic, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. Surely every Australian as a child had this book read to them. May wrote many other books, all charming and brilliantly illustrated by her. As she lived in South Perth until she moved to Sydney in 1913 she and her works hold a special interest for most West Australians.
MAY GIBBS Mother of the Gumnuts Her Life and Work. (1985) Written by Maureen Walsh is a complete biography with many of her wonderful illustrations. A more recent biography that covers very fully her life and work in W.A is’ May Gibbs More than a Fairy Tale’ (2011) by Robert Holden and Jane Brummitt. An early book by popular W.A University academic Ted Snell ‘Cinderella on the Beach’ (1991) describes the work of her father Herbert William Gibbs and his work in context with other W.A artists. The South Perth Heritage House has a fine collection of May’s paintings, illustrations and cartoons along with some works by her father . The Western Australian Art Gallery also has a collection of his oil paintings and water colours though it is only displaying one piece at the moment. No work of hers is on display there.