Mia Cranwill facts for kids

Mia Cranwill (born March 1, 1880, died October 20, 1972) was a talented Irish artist. She was known for her amazing designs and metal artwork. Mia was a very important artist during the Irish Celtic Revival, a time when people celebrated old Irish art and culture.

Mia Cranwill: An Irish Artist

Early Life and Learning

Mia Cranwill was born Maria Cranwill in Drumcondra, Dublin, on March 1, 1880. As a child, she often had poor health. This meant she learned at home and in private schools.

When Mia was fifteen, her family moved to Manchester, England. There, she took art classes at night. She was so good that she won a scholarship to the Manchester School of Art. Mia became a teacher and taught for eight years. However, she wasn't happy and her health wasn't great, so she quit in 1915.

After teaching, Mia tried something different. She ran a fruit and poultry farm with a friend in Emsworth. But they had to close the farm after 18 months when her friend got sick.

Even while in England, Mia loved Ireland. A friend of her father, Charles Hubert Oldham, encouraged her to learn about Irish history and myths. This led her to study the work of George Coffey on ancient Irish art. Mia started to create her own designs using Celtic styles in metal and enamel. She got help from Frederick Newland Smith, who was also from the Manchester School of Art. In May 1917, Mia decided to move back to Dublin for good.

Starting Her Art Career

Back in Dublin, Mia Cranwill opened her own art studio on Suffolk Street. People called it "a joyous haven" (a happy, safe place). She made special pieces for people, mostly using gold and silver. She also added beautiful semi-precious stones and minerals. She liked to use Irish materials, like amethyst from Achill.

Mia's art was inspired by Celtic design. She often used symbols from Irish myths or modern poems. She was part of a group interested in Theosophy, a spiritual philosophy. She even designed a ring for Charlotte Dease, a member of the Gaelic League, based on her horoscope.

At first, Mia got a lot of orders from a company in Manchester. But these orders stopped after the Irish War of Independence. During this war, Mia even hid republican guns in her studio! She thought about closing her studio. But then, Count John McCormack, a famous singer, asked her to make a special cross for an Archbishop in the USA. This commission changed her mind.

In 1921, Mia joined the Guild of Irish Artworkers. She showed her work at many exhibitions. These included the Royal Dublin Society and the Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland. Her art was also shown in Paris in 1922 and at the Manchester Art Gallery in 1923.

In the 1920s, Mia received many important requests. She made items for St Patrick's Catholic Church in San Francisco, USA. These included a monstrance (a vessel for showing the Eucharist), a tabernacle (a box for storing it), a sanctuary lamp, and frames for altar cards. She worked with Newland Smith on the monstrance. It was shown at the National Museum of Ireland before going to San Francisco.

Famous Works and Designs

One of Mia Cranwill's most important pieces was the Senate Casket. Alice Stopford Green asked her to create this metal box. It was meant to hold a scroll with the signatures of the senators of the Irish Free State. The casket was made of gold, silver, and enamel on a copper base. Its unique shape was inspired by the Gallarus Oratory, an ancient stone church.

When the Senate Casket was finished in 1924, everyone loved it. It was shown at the National Museum of Ireland and in Manchester. When the Senate was closed in 1936, the casket was given to the Royal Irish Academy. Newland Smith praised the casket, saying Mia understood Irish art and could create new designs while honoring old traditions.

Mia made many other beautiful items. She created a special ring for Bishop John Dignan in 1924. She also designed a tabernacle door for St. Michael's Church, Ballinasloe in 1926. In 1932, she made a hymnal board for Holy Trinity church in Killiney.

Working with Neville Wilkinson, Mia made tiny copies of the famous Cross of Cong and the Ardagh Chalice. These miniatures were for Titania's Palace, a famous dollhouse. In 1933, she designed a special cup for the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland. This cup showed scenes from Irish history.

Mia also created rings for famous people like actor Micheál Mac Liammóir and writer Compton Mackenzie. The famous writer George Bernard Shaw called her "the Irish Benvenuto Cellini", comparing her to a very skilled Italian artist. He also wrote about her difficulties with getting her work officially marked (hallmarked) in Ireland.

Mia Cranwill designed the standards (flags) for the Irish Free State Army. These were made by Cuala Industries and were first carried on St Patrick's Day in 1937.

Later in life, Mia's health declined, and she stopped working with metal. Instead, she focused on weaving and illustrating books. She drew pictures for Ewart Milne's poem Galion (1953) and Thomas Kinsella's translation of The sons of Usnech (1954).

Later Years

Mia Cranwill was very independent. She made her own clothes and even fixed her own shoes well into her seventies! She left her home and workshop in Killiney. For the last ten years of her life, she lived at the Alexandra Guild House in Dublin. She passed away there on October 20, 1972.

Artist Eva Douglas painted a portrait of Mia. It is said that Mia believed she was a reincarnation of an ancient Mayan princess.