Prairie Madonna – Letters of Desperation – SOLD — Wyman, Marlena

Prairie Madonna SeriesI began this series while researching archival photographic collections. I noticed similarities between some of the poses of prairie women with their children in archival photographs, and the early masters’ paintings of the Madonna and Child, which I re-interpret in a prairie setting.PrairieMadonna: Letters of Desperation by Marlena Wyman Madonna and Child, Giovani BelliniFrom 1925 to 1950 whenViolet McNaughton (nee Jackson) was the Editor of the Western Producer newspaper’s women’s column, she received many letters from rural women seeking birth control information. Violet was an agrarian feminist and among her many other accomplishments, she headed a campaign to bring trained midwives and health care to farm families. With Violet’s help, farm women were able to obtain birth control information, which was illegal at the time, through cover activities such as sewing circles.

I am a mother of 5 children, the oldest being 7 years. I am 25 years old. We live on the farm, but owing to sickness we haven’t got on very well.I trust we will do better soon, but debts are a very constant worry…Please send information on birth control.

Letter from “Another Reader” to the Western Producer newspaper, November 10, 1927

I am 31, the mother of 7 children, eldest 11 years, and youngest 8 months, not at all strong, and owing to farm conditions, very heavily in debt.I would like to have any information I can get re birth control. Letter from “Mrs. E.J.M.” to the Western Producer newspaper, September 29, 1927

Painting inspired by letters to Violet McNaughton, and photograph of unidentified woman and child, Provincial Archives of Alberta #A21376