Friday, July 28, 2017

Flower Friday with May Gibbs

May Gibbs was born in England in 1877 and moved to Australia when she was 4 years old.


She came from an artistic family and began drawing
at a young age.
As a young woman she returned to England several times
to study Art.
She loved the Australian bush and its flowers.


She saw bush babies in the blossoms.

We see them too, on our walks.
Bella photobombing a gum blossom.
 And bring them home with us.

Even the old gumnuts became characters in the many children's books she wrote and illustrated.





The villains in her stories were the Big Bad Banksia Men.


We see them on our walks.

Can you see them hiding amongst the foliage?
She also bred scotties and wrote a book about:
This is our VERY OLD 1944 copy.


The only colour photo in the book.
Every January, on the closest Sunday to May's birthday,
her Sydney home is open for scotties (and Westies) to bring their peeps
for a picnic day.
Alas, we've never been.
But...
We've noticed that the Wattle Babies are starting to appear.




24 comments:

  1. I love her way to see the good and the bad in flowers... I love the banksia guy... he eats children but no dogs right?

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  2. Crikey ...... what a great flower Friday you gave us. My Mum loves May Gibb and she didn't know her home was open for a picnic for Scottie's and Westie's and their peeps. Do you think I could go if Mum painted me black?

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  3. What a wonderful Flower Friday tale :-) Love the drawings and the flowers except the scary Banksia man! The birthday open house for Scotties and their peeps is such a great idea - maybe one day you will be able to visit. Thank for sharing the story of May Gibbs. Nose licks and love from Moth xx

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  4. What an interesting story of the Australian Bush and the book illustrations are just beautiful!

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  5. Ah we love those flower babies..........mags

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  6. I love this post! I am not familiar with this artist but you can certainly tell the period she lived by her style. Beautiful illustrations! I'd almost want to frame the color Scottie one!

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  7. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh my CATS please tell HER we loved loved loved loved this post. WE had no knowledge about Mary or her delightful little characters. What a treasure to have that 1944 copy of the Scottie book. Thank you!!
    Hugs madi and mom

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  8. We love those illustrations. Thank you for another interesting and informative post. We hope you get to attend with the other Scotties. Can you disguise Roxy as a Scottie?

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  9. A scottie and westie picnic sounds like fun!

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  10. Wow, those illustrations are amazing. What a great book to have in your collection.

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  11. Such a wonderful Flower Friday celebration! We are going to keep our eyes peeled for the little flower peeps!!!
    xoxo
    Jakey & Arty

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  12. What an interesting flower Friday
    Lily & Edward

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  13. Thank you for telling us all about May Gibbs - what a very interesting Flower Friday post.

    Woos - Lightning and Misty

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  14. Very interesting! We would love to visit your country butt mom says we cannot drive the wheelie house there.

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  15. I can understand you not wanting to go to her home. If Roxy isn't welcome, I wouldn't go either. Only Scotties and Westies?

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  16. What a marvellous colour plate in the 1944 Gumnut book. Captures Scotty inquisitiveness perfectly

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  17. It is so fun that you see the same "characters" on your walks as she saw. She sounds like a whimsical artist and author. I love the bush babies! Thanks for sharing!

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  18. Oh Gosh you must go to Sydney and see her home. We love this. Lee and I would be right there. We love the babies.
    Thanks for being a friend
    Sweet William The Scot

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  19. Dat are pretty cool!! We wuv all her picsurs :) Mama's great grandfather was an artist and studied in England as well.

    xoxo,
    Matt & Matilda

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  20. That artwork is ADORABLE! How nice to have such an old copy of her book.

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  21. I am not familiar with her, but I absolutely LOVE these illustrations.

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  22. It is so fun that you see the same "characters" on your walks as she saw.

    แตกใน xxx

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