Marie Horseman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marie Horseman
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| Born | Marie Compston Horseman 9 December 1911 Rochester, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 7 May 1974 (aged 62) Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia |
| Resting place | Mulgoa |
| Pen name | Mollie Horseman, Vanessa |
| Period | 1929–1974 |
Marie Compston "Mollie" Horseman (1911–1974) was a talented Australian artist. She was known for drawing comic books, illustrating books, and creating fashion art. Mollie Horseman is especially famous for her comic strips "Pam" and "The Clothes Horse" from the 1950s.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marie Horseman was born in Rochester, Victoria, Australia, on 9 December 1911. Her parents, Frederick and Katherine, had moved from Yorkshire, England. When Marie was thirteen, in 1924, her parents separated.
Marie then traveled with her mother to England. Later, they moved to Germany. While her mother worked for the British Army, Marie went to a German finishing school. This type of school taught young women social skills and arts.
Starting Her Art Career
After returning to Australia, Marie briefly worked for famous artist Norman Lindsay. She was a governess, which means she helped care for and teach his two daughters. Norman Lindsay was very impressed with her drawing skills. He suggested she attend the National Art School.
Marie studied at East Sydney Technical College. She couldn't finish her course because of money. However, her studies were important. She was greatly influenced by the artistic style of Rayner Hoff, a well-known sculptor and teacher.
In 1929, Marie Horseman made history. She and Joan Morrison became the first female cartoonists to work full-time at Smith's Weekly newspaper.
Professional Achievements
Mollie Horseman became a very busy artist. She created many comic strips and illustrations.
Working on Comic Strips
In the early 1940s, Marie moved to Brisbane. She worked as a freelance artist, meaning she took on different jobs for various companies. She drew comic strips for Frank Johnson Publications. She also contributed cartoons to popular magazines like Man Magazine and Australian Woman's Mirror. For Rydge's Business Journal, she created a comic called "The Tipple Twins."
From 1946, she worked for The Courier-Mail newspaper. Her comic strip "Pam" became her most famous work. "Pam" ran for over eleven years and was syndicated. This means it was published in many different newspapers across the country.
Later Career and Challenges
In 1957, Marie moved to Avalon, a beachside suburb in Sydney. She lived there with her five children until 1967.
In the early 1960s, Horseman was the main artist for Everybody's magazine. In 1963, the magazine praised her as 'Australia's only woman cartoonist'. While this wasn't completely true, she was certainly the most well-known female cartoonist at the time.
Between 1967 and 1969, she returned to Brisbane. There, she illustrated books for Jacaranda Press. After that, she moved to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. She continued to do freelance art and painted beautiful landscapes.
In 1973, Marie was hit by a car. This accident caused a stroke that paralyzed her right hand. Despite this challenge, she didn't give up. She taught herself to draw with her left hand.
Marie Horseman passed away at the age of sixty-two. She died in the Blue Mountains Hospital in Katoomba on 7 May 1974. She was buried at St Thomas's Church in Mulgoa.
