I have a new hobby: I am painting plants and insects on the back of vintage postcards, from the Victorian era up to pre world war II. Some are still blank but others were written and sent.
I love reading the faded words, inspecting the old stamps, imagining the people writing soft and loving words to long gone birthday girls. I place my designs in a way that the name of the recipient of the card is still visible, as well as the sender’s signature and their parting words. The body of the message is usually mundane but the last words often moving. This is where true affection shows itself: “Hope to see you soon now, just two more weeks, with best love”, “With fondest love, Mummie and Daddie xxxxxx”, “Lots of love, Auntie Lizzie and Auntie Pat”.
Were Auntie Lizzie and Auntie Pat two unmarried sisters living together, writing to their niece for her birthday? Why was “Dear little Ivy” far away from Mummie and Daddie on her birthday? We will never know… but they missed her.
I like the names as well: Ivy, Beatie, Ethel, Gladys, Florence, Norah, Ella…
When these cards were sent the image on the front was exposed in the collection or pinned on the wall. A hundred years later, the writing on the back is more precious and certainly more mysterious. The cards meant enough to the recipients that they kept them and they survived for a century. I am hoping that my paintings are giving the words another breath of life, and the inscribed side (with often beautiful handwriting) is now under the glass instead of against the wall. Sweet words telling stories and turning into art.
Sweet so far anyway. I have yet to find one full of insults and bad wishes. If I do, I will use it to paint a venomous spider…
These paintings will be exhibited during my Hampshire Artists Open Studio in a couple of weeks.
