A Story of Art and Love
(Melbourne University Press), 2009, 2010
The Lost Mother, published by Melbourne University Press, is a gripping narrative that is part art history, part detective story and part meditation on the relations between mothers and daughters.
It recounts how after Anne inherited a portrait of her mother as a child, she decides to search for the lost companion painting, where her mother was painted as the Madonna.
The story is both moving, and hypnotic as Anne embarks on a parallel quest to rescue the artist, Constance Stokes, from obscurity and to learn the fate of the mysterious Russian émigré collector who originally bought the portrait.
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Publication date: July 2009 |
Publication date: May 2010 |
Anne was a guest on Jon Faine‘s morning show on ABC Radio 774 in Melbourne on 14 May 2010, co-hosted that day by Sonya Hartnett and also featuring mountaineer Andrew Lock. Listen online now or Right click here to download MP3 to play later.
Anne was interviewed by Margaret Throsby on ABC FM on 6 August 2009. Listen online with Real Player, Windows Media Player or MP3 player. Right click to download and play later.
Anne was interviewed by Richard Aedy for Life Matters on ABC Radio National on 1 July 2009. Listen online now or download audio in MP3 format.
Anne was interviewed by Richard Glover for the Drive show on ABC Radio 702 on 29 June 2009. Listen online to Part 1 and Part 2 with your MP3 player or right click to download and play later.
“The Lost Mother is a book that is bound to get many a detective-minded reader going. Ultimately, it is a literary triple-portrait of the women linked through a painted portrait: the artist, the owner and the sitter. And it is, of course, a portrait of the author herself.”
Read rest of review by Stephen Scheding, The Age
“To my great relief and boundless pleasure then, I can confidently say that The Lost Mother is an absolute treasure of a book.”
Read rest of review by Sara Dowse, The Canberra Times
“In its construction, its mosaic-like structures, its criss-crossing paths of cause and effect, what The Lost Mother ultimately reveals, thanks to Summers’s skill, is that a painting — or a book, or any work of art — is not just an accumulation or manipulation of paints or pencil or words on a page. It is an object capable of absorbing or reflecting all kinds of meanings that we, the viewers, put into it. It is not a static object; it shimmers with a life we perceive, or think we perceive, within it.”
Read rest of review by Angela Bennie, The Australian
” … most of all, Summers explores the choices women make between parenthood, creativity and love. I read through the night and marvel again that one writer could fit so much of herself and of us all into one beautifully presented book. I finish and step a little closer to understanding how choices also involve sacrifice.”
Read rest of review by Chris Gordon, Readings Events Coordinator
“It’s a journey of an emotional kind, where she seeks to discover the other ‘lost mother’, the one with whom she had a difficult relationship over the decades, and who died suddenly in 2005. There are many threads to follow in this multi-faceted story, including that of Constance Stokes, once a famous Australian artist, but now largely forgotten.”
Read rest of review by Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine
“As she unveils from obscurity this wonderful artist and the secrets of the collector who owned the original painting, she also reveals the pain of her damaged relationship with her mother. This is indeed a beautiful book.”
Read rest of review by Megan O’Brien at Shearer’s Bookshop
Was what I wrote too long? Bought your book to read on the plane to Europe & probably leave there but then found that the house in Norwood of the Hardy relative at Kadina is none other than ours!Then you quoted address. I was fairly sure at the first mention knowing the history of the house but hadn’t taken any notice of Lydia marrying a Hardy – it was only when the relatives were at Kadina that the plot thickened.
Obvious that you came by after we had got to painting the outside but there has been a lot of restoration inside but not the red velvet wallpaper in No2 bedroom. We knocked down the stables a few years ago & some of the fruit trees & roses have lived their natural life span. Do visit if in Adelaide.R.D.
Hi there,
Bought your book to read on the plane going to Europe & lo & behold as i read about Lydia’s first husband’s relatives in Norwood I am saying to myself ‘that’s our house!’ then later on you actually mention the address. So of course I didn’t leave it in Europe as I was going to. You obviously came by after we had had the outside painted & we have tried to lovingly restore it. No we did not replace the red velvet wallpaper that was in one of the bedrooms. I believe that the Hardys that actually lived here had been teaplanters in Ceylon but Kent Hallett who lived next door & now is at Riverton could confirm that. We bought a house that had had hippies living in it, that had at one time been divided into 3 flats, had horrible paintwork & yes it did take a lot of effort. The stables would have been at the back when Lydia came but we pulled them down to build the new garage a few years ago. Many of the fruit trees were still here but some have died a natural & been replaced & the same thing happened with the roses. If you are in Norwood and want to come & meet the house that was a tiny part of Lydia’s life, let us know & you would be welcome.
I will let Denise Schumann , the Council’s Historian, know about this tiny piece of interest in your book. The house lies in the historic conservation zone of the city.
R Dunk
I only read part of this response (Carol O’Donnell, Glebe) but am I right? Did you mean Summers mother -I refer to the “strangled at birth comment”. If you did that is an appalling thing to write, almost not worth dignifying with a response. You types take yourselves so bloody seriously and think you’re so damned smart too with your blathering nonsense. And this pretence about caring for women, oh please. A horrible horrible thing to say about someone who has given life to four children, who presumably are all successful and no doubt had her own demons to deal with (being married to hubby for one thing would have been a challenge to put it mildly). Life for her, in that era, would not have been easy.
Hi Anne
I tried to read‘The Lost Mother: A Story of Art and Love’ and found the experience a bit like watching paint dry. I didn’t finish but am naturally wondering about the practical details of why it was that you two couldn’t get along and what your father or brothers did or thought. I won’t purchase the companion family memoir. Life is too short. I usually find I blame Catholics and lawyers. What about you?
If she had been my mother I would have wanted her strangled her at birth. Good that she is dead and cannot stop you any more from finding out and clearly telling the apparent truth instead of being shut up like Mary. Having mothers and husbands may be much more restrictive upon open speech and honest exploration than having children if you let it be I guess. There must be other compensations.
We all loved Freudian interpretations at our house. ‘Throw Momma from the Train’ and ‘What About Bob’ were among our family favourites. Fancy another analysis? I will send you related feminist invitations elsewhere to open up Sydney University and beyond so such institutions can try to deliver better for women and kids starting with the poorest first, instead of the richest first, expensively and stupidly, as usual.
After what we all have learned about the causes and effects of the global financial crisis which began in 2008, surely we all should be crying out for a feminist revival much broader, deeper and full than any of the usual ‘mummy wars’. One naturally agrees with Elder Ela Bhatt, of the Self-Employed Women’s Association of India, in Branson’s book ‘Screw Business as Usual’ when she said:
‘If our goal is to build a society where everyone’s basic needs for food, clothing and housing are fully met, and where the full potential of every human being is realized, we will need a radically different approach’ (Branson, 2011, p. 311).
It should be more broadly, openly, oral and in writing or film, etc. so we can all openly assess quality service, product and management outcomes better from individual or apparently expert perspectives, depending on the need.
Put open, greener, more broadly and effectively communicative development directions to the Sydney University Senior Executive Group fortnightly meeting of the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Deputy VCs, Deans and other university officers as a feminist and/or human rights related open and equal learning initiative.
Women like us, with practical historical understanding of the central importance of controlling fertility and getting financial independence for sexual equality, should be more vocal in pointing out the obvious fact that for the poorest of women, their lack of control over reproduction, poverty, violence and their general lack of any choice go hand in hand together far more certainly than love and marriage ever did.
Cheers
Carol O’Donnell, St James Court, Rosebank St, Glebe, Sydney.
Dear Anne
I am really enjoying th Lost mother. The reason I choose it to read is that your portrayal of Melbourne and the funny catholic groups such as the Grail reminds me of my mother in law and grandmother in law who hail from Melbourne and came out of a similar milieu. MIL went to a expensive private girls school and her parent collected on a much smaller scale art, some of which remind me of Constance stokes portrait of your mother. I also read a blog of a youngish mother who has stopped her painting because it affects her mothering and she adheres to a very rigorous interpretation of Catholicism which I find very odd. Such denial of your life impulses has always struck me as not good for you as everyone, mums included need something of their own for mental good health. Her life philosophy remind me of the artist you have looked at in your book. Your story of your granddad and his cruelty toward your father and uncle really makes you wonder how much cruelty, callousness and sheer abuse was blamed on the fact he was in the war. In my mother’s family two men who came back from the second world war and were hopeless in later life were definitely affected by the experiences they had but in another case it was yet another excuse for a form of cruel tyranny
Thanks for your post. Glad you are enjoying The Lost Mother.
I have a painting that I bought at an antique shop here in the US quite a few years back. It’s absolutely beautiful so full of detail. I’ve often wondered who the artist was. It’s signed just Constance. The signature is similar to that of Constance Stokes with some differences. For example it’s signed Cons tanc e. The signature is similar but the differences are that the space is between the c and the e and not the n and the ce, and the other difference is that the t is crossed.
It also doesn’t really appear to be the kind of work that I’ve seen of Constance Stokes.
I have just finished The Lost Mother and it has prompted two things not to do with the 3 female protagonists: firstly Melbourne’s mansions which I find so beautiful, eerie and entities themselves. I would love to have a tour inside some of them including Tay Creggan.They are examples of the ‘so near yet so far’ experience. I will never be wealthy enough to live in one yet they intrigue me.
Secondly as my own mother is nearing 94, and the eldest of her family of 8, I feel it is imperative that I have her answer any questions that I have about the 20th century through her eyes and of the family. I don’t want to end up regretting not having found things out when it is too late, as you expressed in the book. Trouble is, it’s hard to think of the questions without a context or line of inquiry.
Caroline
Thanks for the feedback from my book. Tay Creggan has an open day once a year so you could have a look inside then. Just ring them and ask when it is. I was recently invited there and had a wonderful time re-aquainting myself with the house, especially the magnificent ballroom.
I suggest you sit down with your mother with a tape running and just get her to talk about her life. Questions will spring to your mind once she starts telling you about what her life was like.
best wishes Anne
I was recently given the book ‘The Lost Mother’ by a relative of mine who said I would find it extremely interesting. In the book you mention Dudley Hardy in quite a lot of detail and I wanted to thank you because he was my grandfather’s brother. It has allowed us to find out what actuallly happened to him as we were only told he died in battle. It was also interesting to hear of the story of his wife Lydia as she faded out of the family’s life a long time ago. Thanks again for all the research you must have done.
Dear Tracey
Thank you so much for your email. I am glad that my book was able to tell you some of your family history and I really appreciate your getting in touch to let me know this. You know that you read Dudley Hardy’s war records on the National Archives of Australia website. They make for heartbreaking reading.
What was your grandfather’s name? Do you have any photos of Dudley or or Lydia?
Thanks again for getting in touch
Anne
Dear Anne,
I’ve just finished reading the book and thought it was great. It reminds me of the family detective work I have been doing with my US cousin. I have only been doing this for the past year or so, but my cousin got interested in the family stuff while she was still at school, only eight years ago. Anyway, the book encouraged me to look at the Victorian Public Records office, and I’ve just found the will of our great, great grandmother. She is another Russian, from Minsk. I’ve emailed my cousin and she is so excited!
Thanks again for the book.
[...] on my way home from work and I found The Lost Mother – A Story of Art and Love by Anne Summers. It was the cover that grabbed me, before I even picked it up. Something about the gaze of the [...]
Dear Anne,
At present I am enjoying reading ‘the Lost Mother’. It is of particular interest to me as I am a teacher at Strathcona. For 13 years (1979 – 91) I taught the Year 9 girls at Tay creggan We always covered the history of those who lived at Tay Creggan including the Mortills and have found it so interesting to gain additional information from your book. Since 1970 over 4000 Year 9 girls have passed through Tay Creggan, many of them will be interested to read your book. I have just read the pages with reference to Rosalind Hollinrake (former wife of Barry Humphries) whose 3 daughters Tess & Emily Humphries & Sophie Hollinrake have all been Strathcona students at Tay Creggan. Thank you for this wonderful book.Diana Little
Dear Ms Summers,
I was unable to put down The Lost Mother, until it was completed. The dishes piled high, job applications untouched, my future on hold until I finished the story. Anne, you write with a clarity which allows me to sail through your books. And of course, you can engage with a story of a difficult mother daughter relationship even more closely when it reflects your own experience. Be they Catholic or Jewish, their power and influence shapes you and requires distance to enable reflection and individuation. I am glad to read of your relationship with your mother which mirrors in its emotional themes the one I had with my own mother, may she rest in peace. It has made me feel much less alone with my irreconciled relationship.
Dammed Whores and God’s Police is one of the legacy’s of the strong feminism I inherited from my mother. My mother, Vera Levin, was a shining example of the outcomes of Whitlam’s education reforms. As a mature aged student, she studied your book as part of her Arts, and later., Law Degree, which led her to being the oldest woman to be admitted to the NSW Bar in 1983. The fact is documented in newspapers, and her story also written in and oft quoted, in Jocelyn Scutt’s book, Different Lives.
Thank you for this wonderful expose, and for normalising some of my experiences. Congratulations on your wonderful book.
With sincere regards
Liana Levin
Hi Anne, I read your book some months ago and was transfixed by it. My mother nursed Lydia Mortill and we always referred to William as ‘Uncle Bill’. William’s main carer at the time he died was Edith Francis (my godmother)who was head of the Victorian Bush Nursing Assoc. A few decades ago Edith gave me a couple of beautiful paintings and I’m not sure if they had belonged to ‘Uncle Bill’ or to Ian Currie, the extremely wealthy land-owner from Seven Creeks Estate. I’m in the process of having them identified. My brother used to go to St. Peters Anglican church in Eastern Hill on a Sunday and then call on Uncle Bill where they would have erudite discussions. I can recall that, when sending Bill a card, my mother would always address it to W. Mortill Esq. There are so many stories that my brother and I can recall that it would be good to speak with you some time. Kind regards, Helen Grover – 0432-073244
Dear Anne,
Prompted by Hella Langer, I have now read your book “The Lost Mother” and am fascinated by the Mortills. My grandmother’s older sister Margarithe Julia Wedel Jarlsberg did indeed marry a Mortill, but my uncle R.R. McNicoll has him as Albert Elijah Mortil, a postal telegraphist at Cue. He says the marriage took place in West Australia, where MJ may have lived from 1895 when her mother Mary died. Her father was Norwegian, and although born a baron, was an ordinary goldminer when his daughters were born. Margarithe was the eldest, b.31 October 1868, in Victoria. If your ages on the Mortill boys are correct, and Andrew and Albert are one and the same, he must have been quite a bit younger than his bride. She would have been 31 or 32. Aristocratic women? Her father, exiled from his very proper Norwegian family in debt and disgrace, was a goldminer and her mother, before her marriage, was a servant, born in Cork – she immigrated on some program for young women from York. She had a hard life. Her sister in law thanked her for her loyalty to “my hardly done brother” (Germanic attempt at ‘sorely tried’?) My grandmother was a pupil teacher from the age of 12, which suggests that although the family valued education, there was not much money around. My uncle suggests Margarithe may have been striving for social status when she described her father on the marriage documents as a sharebroker. He says this is the only mention of such an occupation, though of course most miners would have dealt in mining shares from time to time.
Anyway – thank you for an interesting book. The fickle reputations of the art world and the doings at the Mortill mansion in its various forms are fascinating.
Dear Penny
thanks for getting in touch. I was going to contact you after hearing from Hella, via her comments on my website, that you are a descendant of Andrew Elijah Mortill. I can show you the records of his birth and family which will establish his name, and I have a tiny bit of information about where they lived in WA, but all my records are in storage at present as I am having my house painted so it will take a few weeks before I can get to them. It is an amazing story with new aspects, such as the McNicoll connection(!), turning up all the time.
best wishes
Anne
Hello Anne
Having enjoyed your interview with Margaret Throsby I rushed to get ‘The Lost Mother’ and found it to be, as anticipated, both an informative as well as a pleasurable read. Thank you for introducing me to the wonderful art of Constance Stokes. Without your book it is unlikely that I would have discovered her. I proceeded to some internet “digging” (as is my habit) to find additional information on some of the minor characters mentioned. When researching Andrew Mortill and his wife, the Baroness Margarith Julia Wedel Jarlsberg, I discovered that the youngest sister of the Baroness, i.e Hildur Marschalck Wedel Jarlsberg was the mother of the late David McNicoll and grandmother of D.D. McNicoll and Penelope Nelson. If you did not come across this connection in your research, (it is, after all a very small aside to your main story) then I hope you nevertheless find this information interesting.
I’m looking forward to your next book, whatever its subject matter, as I am sure to enjoy it like I have all your writings.
Hi Hella,
I stayed with a Hella Langer and her son Marcel in Sydney in the 1980′s. They moved address and I lost their new contact details. It’s a long shot but are you that Hella?
All the best,
Anthony
Hello Anthony
What a wonderful surprise to discover your comment. Yes, indeed, it is I! I have thought of you and wondered how you are, thus I am so very pleased to find your enquiry. I am on facebook if you wish to contact me that way. Marcel will be pleased to hear about you. Looking forward to your further contact. What a shame I did not look at the Anne Summers site for some time. But, as they say, better later…Regards, Hella
Author Anne Summers recently published new edition of “The lost Mother’
A.S. describes her relationship with her mother, including a mystery painting by Constance Stokes.
The book is more an exciting novel than fact, yet there is no info saying so.
Unless the reader was there, or knew Melbourne art history, would accept the story as the gospel truth.
Despite its failings as a truthful account,it is still a damn good read
Hi Anne
I have followed your career with considerable interest, and it has been a delight to read The Lost Mother, and to learn about sthe splendid artist Constance Stokes, whom I had never heard of before, in spite of studying University Art History for three years!
I studied Modern British and American Art in the early 1980s and Richard Haese was my lecturer and tutor. He was writing Rebels and Precursors at the time. It may be unkind of me to recall one isolated comment made by him during the semester, but I am sure he commented that he was unable to find virtually any British and American artists of real note, other than American Georgia O’Keefe, (whose husband just happened to be an art dealer!)
I think male gender blindness is often an unconscious thing and only long term consciousness raising will make a widespread difference to women’s common experience in my opinion. In my working career, I taught middle school English, and in most years we used set texts by the same three male authors. I wrote to them saying I felt disturbed that the Australian literature passages chosen for study had only one female protagonist, and she had had miserable teenage sex once with a most unpromising boy and the poor kid became pregnant. She was also raped by sailors. They wrote me back a very nice letter and said they could not find any suitable female Australian authors even though we had stacks of them in print by then!
Hi Anne
Enjoyed your discussions with Jon and Sonya this morning. I did hear you mention researching online newspapers. I assume you are already quite familiar with the National Library newspaper archive. I just did a search for Constance Stokes and note that there are a large number of pending articles about the artist. Articles displayed in this way are usually available for viewing / editing within a couple of weeks. Perhaps there are some more clues there for you! I’m a big fan of the archive -as a trainee librarian it has been helpful on many occasions, but it is easy to lose a whole day just browsing old articles!
Regards
Russell
Dear Mary-Anne – I tried sending this message to your email address but it bounced back. Hope you see it here.
How lovely to hear from you, and to learn about another member of Connie’s family. The national Gallery of Victoria has a lot of her works but they are rarely on display but you can go online and see some of them. But her masterpiece ‘The Village’ should be on public display at Federation Square in Gallery No 7 at the moment so tell you daughter to look out for that. And I do hope your father enjoys the book. What is his mother’s name? I would love to see an image of the crayon drawing if he has a digital camera. Does he have any oil paintings of his mother by Connie?
Thank you again for getting in touch
best wishes
Anne
Dear Anne
I just loved your book.It was on a reading List at our local library for a contest, so read it fairly quickly as I wanted someone else to have the chance to read it
I am a family historian, and know some of the people mentioned.However ths part of the book was so interesting, seeing where and how you had researched
i wish you well in finding the other painting
The Lost Mother was a very apt title.I felt that it also applied to Constance Stokes, who seemed to be ‘lost’ also
Dear Anne,
My father was telling my daughter who lives in Melbourne to go to the Art gallery and see if she could find any paintings by Connie Stokes. I phoned her today and she was excited to say that Connie indeed had a collection but because of recent rain affecting the building she was arranging a private viewing. She also told me about your book Lost Mother. I have the ISBN and I can’t wait to tell my father. I’m sure he’ll want to buy a copy. You see Connie is dad’s aunt! his mother’s sister. Dad has a side portrait of his mother that Connie drew using crayone (I believe). I never met Aunt Connie, we all live in Queensland. We’ll all have to read your book now.
I have just finished reading The Lost Mother. It’s the first book I have made the time to read since my daughter was born just over a year ago. I am able to connect with the theme of having little time or energy (or capacity!) to create (or even to read!) when you have a gorgeous little one to look after. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Thank you.
Dear Anne,
Have enjoyed THE LOST MOTHER on many levels. I’m a teacher at Star of the Sea College in Brighton (Victoria) and was shocked to discover that, on my return from the Christmas holidays, two pictures had ‘walked’ from my homeroom: a Georgia O’Keefe print that I carefully carried back to Oz after a two year stay in California and an original intricate drawing by one of my students of her sister sitting gazing through a window, which I had purchased from Chloe 18 months ago. It seems fine art by women strikes a chord in the hearts of many!! After my intial shock and anger I am now happily hoping that there is a Telstra worker … or one of our students (heaven forbid!) … or a holiday tradesperson somewhere around enjoying the fruits of Georgia and Chloe’s wonderful work. Will keep my eye out for A SAINT and will more closely examine the provenance of works in our own community, hoping to become entwined in their past, present and future … to listen to their stories … to be challenged by their questions and ‘quiet’ gazes …
Best wishes in your current endeavours,
We’d love to welcome you to Star if you’re ever in the neighbourhood!!
Anne M
Hi Julianne. Glad you are enjoying the book but I am sorry about the mistake. I will correct it for the paperback edition which is coming out next year. best wishes
Anne
Dear Anne,I am thoroughly enjoying your book and will recommend it to friends who enjoy art detective work. Your personal involvement makes the information easy to follow and retain.
I valued your visit to the Genazzano FCJ College Archives. I would just make one correction on p. 47, where you mention “Two drawings donated by an old scholar.” Our two precious Constance Stokes drawings were purchased by the College in 1993 through Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, upon the advice of a long serving member of the College Council, whose wife attended Genazzano, as did his daughters. He knew of the connection of Constance Stokes [Parkin] with Genazzano Convent. As this was at a time before we began to actively develop an art collection for the College, we are indeed endebted for this forsight.
Julianne Barlow, Archivist, Genazzano FCJ College
The Lost Mother
My husband and I have read your book. Congratulations!For 25 years we lived in Vista grove Toorak (1965-89), just around the corner from Winifred Crescent. In 1982 Constance did a drawing of our son William (Michael Stokes was very kind to numerous children in the district) and Constance asked if she could draw William (age 14). They were amused when he arrived to sit all clean and tidy and hair brushed. William said that she worked quickly, pencil on paper. We have 2 framed originals, one of which was shown in a Heide exhibition “Figures and Faces Drawn from Life”. The catalogue reads ISBN 9593823 4 8 Maudie Palmer October 1983
There is a review of Stokes and the drawing pencil 28 X 38 1982.Misspelt William Leckie.
Other exhibiters: Brett Whitely, Fred Williams, Tim Storrier, John Olsen, John Brack etc. I visited Stokes and saw where she worked. I did not think that she had financial problems or that she had to sell her work. The house has now been sold and a horrible facard erected in front of the original clean lines. Have not seen Michael lately.
With best wishes, Barbara Leckey. 8 Copelen Street South Yarra 3141
Dear Anne, I thoroughly enjoyed your talk at the Salmon Galleries a week ago.
just wanted to let you know there isa Constance Stokes Nude 1953 in the collection of Roddy Meagher currently on exhibtion at the University ARt Gallery, University of Sydney”.
Thoroughly enjoying the book.
regards
Christine
Hello Anne
I have just finished reading your book and loved it. As soon as I saw your mother on the book it reminded me of Head of a Girl with a Pearl Earring by Jan Vermeer. I wonder if Constance Stokes was influenced by that. Again as in Ducks on the Pond I was particularly interested in your comments about the Deni house. I hope our grandchildren have the same warm feelings about it you did as a child.
I hope your book stimulates the sales of Australian Woman Artists. I intend to order one straight away. I have recently taken up painting so am particularly interested. Everywhere I go now, if I see a modonna type saintly girl, I will be checking the signature.
Dear Anne
Fiona Douglas, an ex-student of mine, very kindly bought me a copy of The Lost Mother for my recent birthday. She bought it at a Gippsland dinner where you spoke: I am delighted to have a signed copy. It is about to take up residence on my Greek bookshelf!
I just loved the book, and I congratulate you on your fine writing and mighty efforts at research. What a contribution you have made to the history of (neglected) Australian women.
There were a couple of interesting links between you, Constance, and me: you and I are the same age.My mother was a year older than your mother and lived near Kerang as a tot: her grandfather pioneered a place called Milne’s Bridge, which was named after him. And I myself lived in McPherson Street, Nhill (no.50). Formative years: 1953-56. In 2006 I went back after 50 years: an odd experience.
How wonderful to have that portrait.
I well remember your days at The Australian Author. Good work there, too. I hope your next project is well under way and giving you a great deal of pleasure. As well as the
headaches: mandatory.
With thanks for the book and all good wishes
Gillian
Debora
Is the portrait of your signed? Constance Stokes always signed her work, but she did paint children so perhaps she painted you. Do you have an image of the portrait you can post on this site?
Anne
Hi Anne
Although I have not yet read The Lost Mother I have been a fan since Damned Whores.. and heard you interviewed on Margaret Throsby this week. My mother had my portrait painted as a child of 2 or 3 in Melbourne in 1960-2 – an experience I remember anm the artist was certainly a woman – and I was wondering if Constance Stokes painted children commercially as it were? She would have been in her late 50s then. It would be fun to have a Stokes! Did she always sign her work? My parents lived in South Yarra until 1958 and my mother was a woman who liked to do the fashionable thing so having her first child painted was probably a bit of a fashion statement for her, as she was not otherwise into the art world – science was her thing professionally. Are Stokes’ diaries still around?
Am looking forward to reading The Lost Mother and was also intrigued by the conference on women’s business you spoke about. What an excellent idea.
Cheers
Debora
listening to you speak this morning on FM Radio “The Morning Interview” I have now bought a copy of “The Lost Mother” and look forward to meeting you on Thursday evening at Woollahra Library, Writers & Readers. . . .
Jennifer, thanks for these great comments. I am glad that you enjoying the book, and amazed by yet another piece of serendipity in this story: the fact that you also spent time at Tay Creggan. That house could tell some stories.
Anne
Hi Anne
I am currently reading and really enjoying The Lost Mother… as a female Australian artist (I guess that’s why I was given your book as a recent birthday present) I am fascinated by the story of Constance Stokes and how her life has become intertwined with that of your family’s and the pivotal role of a painting. Furthermore, by a stroke of synchronicity I was gob smacked to read about Tay Creggan. I spent a year of my Melbourne childhood at this property for my year 9 schooling at Strathcona and later married in the great hall. Now a Sydney dweller – I am re-living my Melbourne childhood and enjoying your take on part of its history entwined with great stories and great art. I wish you the best for the launch of this book.
Sincerely Jennifer.