Miss Smith's Family Tree
Miss Smith has a Dream
Miss Smith is Touched
Miss Smith Lost in Avalon
Miss Smith's Lucky Day
Miss Smith on the Stairway to the Stars
Miss Smith Takes a Stand
Miss Smith Takes Things in her Stride
The Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Smith
Diana Milstein
There is a simple charm about Miss Smith, an "ordinary woman" of about 60. She wears an old-fashioned coat and orange hat; she sits on a park bench and feeds the birds. Miss Smith Tunes in to Nature
Alone on an empty beach, gazing at the surf, "Miss Smith stands in awe". Another time, sitting on a bank watching flying swans, "Miss Smith takes a moment". Ah, lovely, gentle reminders of things we need to make time for in our own lives.
Having become interested in all things cosmic and alternative, Miss Smith hugs a tree, meets standing stones, mows her own crop circle, and conducts the dawn chorus. She tries hands on healing for her broken down car. She boldly experiments with her creativity, and discovers, while riding a dragon that "You are never too old for adventure!"
People feel familiar with this painted character. Some say they have a Miss Smith character living on their road. At one exhibition she was presented with a brown paper bag containing home-made jam – just her sort of thing!
Painter and printmaker Diana Milstein was just doodling one day in 1994 when "Miss S appeared out of the blue".
In creating her character, Diana realised that she had "unwittingly hit on an archetype". Miss Smith discovers unexpected reserves of passion and energy after being touched by an angel at a bus stop. "Miss Smith has adventures because she sees through the banality of every day life, and catches the magic". Yes, a lot of us know someone a bit like that.
It is occasionally possible to meet Miss Smith. At an exhibition in Diana Milstein’s house, I turned away from the pictures to find myself standing next to her coat, hat and bag. I experienced a small shock, a momentary expectation that she might say hello, and a sense of magic; this fictional character was here right next to me. But it was a mannequin.
During Somerset Art Weeks this year she was sitting in an armchair with a cup of tea in her hand. Nobody minded that her face and ankles were made of chicken wire. "What will she do next time?" wonders Diana, "Oh my god, maybe she’ll get up and walk!"
Sometimes people ask if they can look inside her handbag. "It’s nice for children," says Diana. They find postcards of places Miss Smith has been, and shells and other mementos from her adventures." There is a label attached to Miss Smith’s bag inviting people to ‘Have a peep’. " Some men", notes Diana, "say they couldn’t possibly look into a woman’s handbag." Well trained, I reckon.
Diana confides that Miss Smith is actually getting younger, something she attributes to her magical exploits. This certainly seems to be the case after Miss Smith is touched by an angel for the second time. Her encounters are truly life affirming. She sees her naked self the mirror. ‘"Now don’t you worry" said Miss Smith to herself, "the Goddess comes in all shapes and sizes!"’
Diana has found that sometimes when deciding something is going to happen to Miss Smith, the same thing can subsequently happen to her. Soon after painting the picture of Miss Smith drinking wine in a Paris café, Diana found herself in Paris with her daughter. She is currently considering whether it would be good thing if Miss Smith were to win the lottery…
Miss Smith pictures will be on view at the new Glastonbury Hospital.
The Miss Smith work comprises 65 images, 40 cards, and some A3 prints.
Visit www.MissSmithArt.co.uk