May Gibbs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids May Gibbs
1916 photographic portrait
Born	(1877-01-17)17 January 1877 Kent, England
Died	27 November 1969(1969-11-27) (aged 92) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Pen name	Stan Cottman, Blob
Occupation	Author, illustrator
Nationality	English Australian
Period	1912–1953
Genre	Children's literature
Signature

Cecilia May Gibbs MBE (born January 17, 1877 – died November 27, 1969) was a famous Australian author, illustrator, and cartoonist for children. She is best known for her wonderful characters, the gumnut babies. These characters are also sometimes called "bush babies" or "bush fairies." Her most famous book is Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

May Gibbs' Early Life

May Gibbs was born in Sydenham, England. Her parents, Herbert and Cecilia Gibbs, were both very artistic. May was their second child and was often called "Mamie."

In 1879, her family decided to move to Australia to start a farm. May's father and uncle went first. May, her mother, and siblings followed later. Her younger brother, Ivan, was even born during their sea journey!

The family moved a few times in Australia. When May was eight, they settled on a farm in Harvey, Western Australia. Her father gave her a pony named Brownie. May loved riding her pony and exploring the Australian bush. This time in her life was very important. It inspired her to paint and write about the bush. She imagined the plants and animals as characters, which later became her famous "gumnut babies."

When May was 10, her family moved to Perth. She went to a girls' school there. As a teenager, she attended an artists' camp and began painting with oils. She also designed scenery for local plays.

Studying Art in England

Between 1890 and 1913, May Gibbs traveled to England several times. She went there mainly to study art. She attended well-known art schools like the South Kensington Art School and Chelsea Polytechnic. She even graduated with top marks in 1905.

While in England, May worked as an illustrator. She drew pictures for books and even created cartoons for a newspaper called Common Cause. This newspaper was published by the Suffragettes, who were women fighting for the right to vote.

Early Career as an Artist

When May returned to Australia, she continued her art career. She drew fashion pictures for The West Australian newspaper. She also created cartoons for the Social Kodak magazine. She became a regular artist for the Western Mail newspaper. Her drawings appeared on the cover and inside the paper.

May Gibbs is seen as one of Australia's first professional female cartoonists. She was also the first Australian woman known to draw political cartoons. A famous Australian cartoonist, Lindsay Foyle, said that May Gibbs was a "pioneer for female cartoonists." In 1907, she showed five of her watercolor paintings at an exhibition in Melbourne.

Return to Australia and Famous Works

In 1913, May Gibbs returned to Sydney, Australia, because she wasn't feeling well. This year was special because her "gumnut babies" first appeared publicly. They were on the cover of a book she illustrated called The Missing Button.

During World War One, May created postcards with gumnut babies in uniform. These helped support Australia's efforts in the war. Her first book about the gumnut babies, called Gumnut Babies, came out in 1916. Then, in 1918, her most famous book, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, was published. She wrote many more books about these beloved characters.

In 1919, May married Bertram James Ossoli Kelly. In 1925, they moved into their special home called Nutcote in Kurraba Point, Sydney.

Besides her children's books, May also drew two popular comic strips. These were Bib and Bub (which ran from 1924 to 1967) and Tiggy Touchwood (from 1925 to 1931). These comic strips were published in newspapers across Australia and New Zealand.

May Gibbs was also a talented botanical artist. This means she drew plants very accurately. Her work was both imaginative and true to nature.

May Gibbs' Legacy

May Gibbs passed away in Sydney on November 27, 1969. She left the rights to her famous bush characters and stories to two charities: Northcott Disability Services and Cerebral Palsy Alliance. These charities help children with disabilities. She also left some of her money to UNICEF, which helps children around the world.

May Gibbs' work is still celebrated today.

• In 1985, a postage stamp was made in her honor.
• In 1988, a street in Canberra was named May Gibbs Close.
• In 2016, an exhibition of her artwork opened to celebrate 100 years since Gumnut Babies was published.
• In 2018, a Sydney Ferries boat was named after her.

Works

• About Us (1912)
• Gum Blossom Babies (1916)
• Boronia Babies (1917)
• Flannel Flowers and Other Bush Babies (1917)
• Wattle Babies (1918)
• Snugglepot and Cuddlepie: Their Adventures Wonderful (1918)
• Little Ragged Blossom, & More About Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (1920)
• Little Obelia, and Further Adventures of Ragged Blossom, Snugglepot & Cuddlepie (1921)
• Nuttybub and Nittersing (1923)
• Chucklebud and Wunkydoo (1924)
• Bib and Bub: Their Adventures (1925)
• The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepot (1940)
• Scotty in Gumnut Land (1941)

Images for kids

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  A "Banksia Man" abducting Little Ragged Blossom, from Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

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  Nutcote, in Kurraba Point (Sydney), where May spent much of her life.

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  A replica of the Stirling Cottage, Harvey (Western Australia), in which May Gibbs lived.

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  Derry, Neutral Bay, where May Gibbs lived for a time before she lived at Nutcote.

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  "I'm not stumped yet!" postcard, depicting gumnut babies playing cricket