Like many people
of her generation, Vivette's life was turned upside down
by the Second War War, not least because at this time
many city-dwelling children were evacuated to countryside
locations - they were 'taken on' by couples or families
and in effect adopted by them until the conflict was over
- Vivette and two of her sisters were such evacuees.
In Vivette's case, perhaps
because of the poverty-stricken surroundings she would
have had to go back to ( compared with the comparatively
'rich' living - at least in terms of food, cleanliness
and space ) of countryside Norfolk, she became
emotionally and physically cut off from her blood
parents. The impression of being 'cut-off' was in many
ways fostered by her parents, who rarely made any attempt
to visit or make contact with Vivette or her sisters.
Vivette would like to think, though that this was for the
best reasons - perhaps hoping that the children could
start a better life in the country.
Here then, in her own words is a
'potted' autobiography :
"I
was born the second youngest of six children; five girls
and one boy.
We
lived in an old railway cottage in North London. I played
in the street most of the time - there were plenty of
children to play with in the 1930's. We played in the
road as well as on the pavement. A car was something we
rarely saw. This usually belonged to a doctor or a
clergyman or maybe even a stray musician.
When
not playing in the street I was drawing on any scrap of
paper I could find : old rent books, spaces found in old
magazines - anything and everything I could draw on. Even
at the age of five I wanted to be a dress designer. I
don't know what put that idea in my head.....
When
the Second World War came along, I and two of my sisters,
one older and one younger, were evacuated to the country.
I continued to draw at a different kitchen table, but I
had a proper sketchbook and coloured pencils to use now,
as the lady who took care of my sisters and I saw I had
plenty of things to use.
I
also did lots of embroideries and calendars for the
hordes of relations belonging to the same lady - I was
always occupied one way or another, but I always went out
to play too with other evacuees as well as the country
children.
One
day I took some of my drawings to school to show some of
the children in my class who asked to see them.
Unfortunately the Head Teacher confiscated them.
Meanwhile she had sent them to a London Art College, who
enrolled me as a student after the War was over. I wonder
what would have happened if Hitler had won the War...?
At
age 13 and a half I was sent to a Trade School to learn
to be a fine needlewoman and many other subjects,
including French. At the age of fifteen and a half I was
sent to the Art College where I remained for four years.
Several years later I had the opportunity to be featured
in the Louvre catalogue in Paris but this involved a
payment which I could not afford.
Later
I exhibited works of oil paintings at two major London
Galleries. Recently I have begun writing poetry for
children, under the pen name of Vivette."
(
Written October 1999 )
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