(Cecilia) May Gibbs and the Big Bad Banksiamen

My first and most terrifying nightmares were directly due to this seemingly innocuous person:

(Cecilia) May Gibbs 1877-1969

Nightmares 'inspired' by her illustrations of 'big bad banksiamen' in children's books:

and in cartoons:

As must be obvious from these images, big bad banksiamen spend an inordinant amount of time and energy climbing trees and in windows in order to catch, carry off and (I am sure) eat gumnut babies. Psychiatrists would unhesitatingly slap a rather dark interpretation on this kind of thinking!

But I suppose I had better more dispassionately and fairly introduce (Cecilia) May Gibbs.

In the early C20 and in a folk 'art nouveau' style, this Australian illustrator and then writer of children's books created a rich Australian bush mythology, an anthropomorphic fantasy world crawling with a myriad of indigenous flora and fauna, including tiny gumnut and related wattle babies, and fairies.

The now famous gumnut babies were introduced to the world in 1913 as the cover to Ethel Turner's 'The Missing Button'. And their popularity consolidated in postcards developed to bolster the morale of the troops overseas in the First World War:



The rising nationwide popularity resulted in the book 'The Gumnut Babies' in 1916. Which was followed by the classic Snugglepot and Cuddlepie in 1918:


What really enchants about May Gibbs' work is the level of imagination and fantasy:

'The Society of Gumnut Artists'

'The Hat Shop'

'Gumnut Leaf Cinema'

'The Merry-Go-Round'

'Homes'

I particularly love the hat shop (where you can get the latest in seed pod headgear) and the cinema created from sewn gumnut leaves, patrolled (?) by large ominous ants. And there are leaf boats, stick chairs, sea shell houses, and gum blossom skirts:


I wanted to finish with this famous and charming drawing. It pleads for understanding and kindness from 'humans' to 'bush creatures'. And for respect for nature - 'Don't pull flowers up by the roots'. Sentiments particularly apt today!

The May Gibbs House, Nutcote, is in Neutral Bay in Sydney. I'm off to see it tomorrow and will report anything sensational I find. Including any of those dangerous-looking banksiamen!

May Gibbs References:

1. Marie Marshall, "The Art of May Gibbs", Aust. Book News & Lit.J.,vol, 2 (Sep. 1947);
   
2. Helen Frizell, "May Gibbs - Lover of Children and Australia's Bush", Sydney Morning Herald (29 Nov. 1969);
   
3. Maureen Walsh, "May Gibbs - Mother of the Gumnuts, her life and work", Angas & Robertson (1985).