Stella Bowen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stella Bowen
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Stella Bowen, Paris, 1920s
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| Born |
Esther Gwendolyn Bowen
16 May 1893 North Adelaide, South Australia
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| Died | 30 October 1947 (aged 54) Green End, Essex, England
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| Occupation | Artist and writer |
| Partner(s) | Ford Madox Ford |
| Children | Julia Madox Ford |
Esther Gwendolyn "Stella" Bowen (1893–1947) was a talented Australian artist and writer. She is best known for her portraits and for being an official war artist during World War II.
Contents
Becoming an Artist: Stella Bowen's Early Life
Stella Bowen was born in North Adelaide, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. She went to Tormore House School as a young girl. Stella loved to draw and convinced her mother to let her study art with a famous artist named Margaret Preston.
Stella wanted to study art in Melbourne, but her mother became ill. Her mother also wasn't sure about Stella having a career as an artist. When her mother passed away in 1914, Stella decided to move to England. She had a return ticket and some money to live on each month.
In London, Stella studied art at the Westminster School of Art. She met many writers, artists, poets, and people interested in politics.
Life in Europe: Art and Family
In 1918, Stella met the writer Ford Madox Ford and they fell in love. They moved to the English countryside. Their daughter, Julia, was born there in 1920.
By 1922, life in the countryside was hard, so the family moved to France. They soon decided to stay in Paris. Paris was a lively city with many artists and writers. Ford started a literary magazine and was a key figure among the writers living there.
Stella found her first art studio in Paris. However, she didn't have much time to paint. She was busy taking care of Ford and their daughter.
Stella Bowen's Later Years and Art Career
Stella Bowen separated from Ford in 1927. This was a challenging time for her. But it also gave her more time and space to focus on her art. She started getting requests to paint portraits, but it was still hard to earn enough money.
In 1932, Stella visited the United States. She was invited by the poet Ramon Guthrie, who helped her find more portrait jobs. One of her clients was the famous writer Sinclair Lewis. When she returned to France, she couldn't afford to stay in Paris. So, on her fortieth birthday, she moved back to England.
In 1936, Stella spent a month in Cagnes-sur-Mer in France. She wrote about this time in her autobiography, Drawn From Life. She also painted pictures of her experiences there.
Writing and Teaching: Supporting Her Art
Even though Stella kept painting, she didn't earn enough money from her art and commissions. For many years, she wrote art reviews for a newspaper called the News Chronicle. She also taught art to earn extra money.
Because of her connection to Ford Madox Ford, Stella was given money to write a book about her life. This book, called Drawn from life: a memoir, received excellent reviews.
Stella Bowen: A World War II Artist
World War II brought a new and important part to Stella's career. In 1944, the Australian War Memorial asked her to become an official war artist. This was a special job where artists would paint scenes from the war.
Stella had been giving regular radio talks for Australian listeners about her wartime experiences. These talks helped her earn money during a difficult time. They also led to her being offered the war artist position.
Painting the War: Royal Australian Air Force
As a war artist, Stella's main job was to paint the activities of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in England. She also painted portraits of military leaders and Australian prisoners of war who had returned from Europe.
Stella was one of the first women artists to be given this important role. She finished her last painting in 1947. She passed away later that year from cancer. Stella never returned to Australia after moving to England.
Her paintings are now in important collections. Two of her portraits are in the National Portrait Gallery. Her portrait of Ramon Guthrie is at the Hood Museum of Dartmouth College. A painting of Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin from 1944 is held by the Australian War Memorial.
Stella Bowen Park
There is a park named after Stella Bowen in Adelaide, Australia. Stella Bowen Park is located in Park 26 of the Adelaide Park Lands. It is between the Adelaide Oval and North Adelaide.
