My mum the artist…
It’s only a few days till Mothers’ Day here in Australia and it prompts me to think about my own mum of whom I’m so proud and who is a bit of a role model!
My mother went to a small Quaker school called The Friends School for all of her academic life. In her time it was an intimate campus but now it is the biggest Quaker school in the Southern hemisphere. One of her favourite classes at that time was art and she showed some dexterity and facility. The images below are from her sketchbook which takes pride of place in our family treasure chest. I always thought it was such a shame that she never followed up on her ability after leaving school before the war. I think the images speak for themselves.
Wow – they look lovely – you’ll have to show me when I return.
I will, Greg. It’s a very special book but needs archival storage as the paper is not acid-free. The bindings are beginning to deteriorate as well. But the paint has kept its very pure colour which is super.
Great, Prue! Creativity runs in your family, clearly.
Perhaps it does, Gerry. Wouldn’t it be nice to think so. Each of my own adult children are incredibly creative. My daughter is a graphic designer (does my book covers, marketing detail, blog banners etc.) and my son is a carpenter who specialises in quite bespoke work. Nice to think that their Nanny’s genes have gone right down the line!
QUAKERS! *giggles* Sorry I was a Quaker in my teen years – or well I attended a Quaker mmeeting and went to some Friends retreats and what not. Warm bunch of peopl… Anyway (so few people over here seem to even know what a Quaker is, let alone that they are the Society of Firends – but I digress again).
You mom’s sketches are indeed very cool, and remind my of my own mother’s sketch books from high school. She too never went into art, at least not sketching, she’s a seamstress now. She also used to write and I’ve sneakily gotten her back into it in hopes she will one day finish the story I painted a picture for – or rather painted a collage of pictures for.
Thanks so much for sharing!
:} Cathryn
Hallo Cathryn,
None of my family have ever been Quakers but Friends offered the best education at my mother’s time and the Quaker philosophy of course was, and still is a wonderfully affirming philosophy.
We sent our own children to Friends School and they had opportunities we were delighted about. Indeed, the art block was first rate and my daughter found her own niche. I think it was for her, like her grandmother before her, one of the favoured places.
The Society of Friend is definitely a very warm and welcoming one. The weekends I spent on retreat with them in my early teen years were definately good for my soul. I’m glad to know it’s the same the world around.