Look
at this picture of Neutral Bay. Although it is not clearly discernable,
there is a stone staircase leading from the slopes behind May Gibbs' house
down to the water below. If you look at page 47 of her "Mr and Mrs Bear
and Friends" (Angus and Robertson, 1943), you will see a drawing of
rock steps that are identical to the ones there at Neutral Bay.
It
is clear that May Gibbs was inspired, as most artists are, by the environment
around her. She may even have had to stand in the water to sketch the stairs
the way she wanted. The Neutral Bay of today is not the same as that of
the 1940s. The sketch on page 54 of "Mr and Mrs Bear and Friends"
shows a wooden verandah that may not be there any more. It would be interesting
to work out exactly where it was originally situated. On page 23 there
is a picture of a small shrub growing in a wooden tub. Such a tub is still
in the front yard of "Nutcote" today, as pictured below. A close
study of May Gibbs' art will probably yield more secrets about Neutral
Bay...
