Flower Diary by Molly Peacock tells the story of Mary Hiester Reid (1854-1921). There are very few archival records of Mary’s life. What we do know is that she did a remarkable job of combining a career as an artist with that of wife, homemaker, and community member. She studied art, travelled to Europe to immerse herself in the European masterpieces, taught, belonged to many women’s organizations, kept a home in 2 different locations, and supported her artist husband George. Her art was distinct from her husband’s and one of her last acts, when she was very ill, was to go out to vote in the first election that gave women the right to vote. Molly Peacock is a poet so the book is well written with every word chosen with care. Because so little is known about Mary Hiester Reid, she extrapolates from her own experience as a wife and poet. I highly recommend reading Flower Diary. Not only was I introduced to the work of an artist who lived most of her adult life in Canada, but it stimulated me to think about women’s roles, how they’ve changed but how they remain the same. Molly Peacock has also written The Paper Garden about Mary Delany, who began creating botanically correct, cut-paper flowers at 72. ( )

This was one of those books that you can savour- beautiful book design and excellent colour plates of the paintings and great prose. The author is a poet and she took the material about Mary Reid and her husband George and has written a most intriguing biography. In between the chapters on Mary Reid's life are interludes about Peacock's life. This biography was written with what I call a "21st" century sensibility. Peacock looks at how a nineteenth century woman managed to work on her own art while she had the responsibility of domestic duties. Mary and George Reid traveled to Europe to study and were part of artists' colony called Onteora in New York State. The two were part of the Arts and Craft movement in Onteora and Toronto. I read this book slowly- I had to think about the many ideas and opinions that the author presented. ( )

Thanks to Molly Peacock’s book Flower Diary: In Which Mary Hiester Reid Paints, Travels, Marries, and Opens a Door, I now have an appreciation for an artist I had not heard of and have learned to love her art. Peacock combines biography, art appreciation, and memoir into a lovely read.

Mary Hiester Reid was born in Reading, PA in 1854. Her ancestors were prominent, including the Muhlenberg family which started the Lutheran church in America.

After their mother’s death, Mary studied art in Philadelphia while her sister joined a French convent. Mary met fellow artist George Reid, who grew up on an Ontario farm. George was seven years younger, but they married, determined to put their lives as artists first. For their honeymoon, they traveled to Europe to view art. Both developed their art and careers, but Mary was expected to handle domestic duties, even in their summer Catskill home without running water, electivity or gas.

I have always been interested in art and appreciate that Peacock has included color illustrations of Mary’s paintings at each chapter head. Peacock gives readers an art appreciation course, explaining the symbolism in Mary’s paintings. I stopped my reading and searched online for other works mentioned but not illustrated. I came to love the paintings, tutored in what to see by Peacock.

Peacock’s book is also a memoir with interspersed stories about her marriage and her husband’s illness and death. It is the basis of her insights into Mary and George’s lives and relationships.

The book was an emotional journey with a poet’s lovely, resonate writing. For a woman who left so little behind but her paintings, Peacock was able to resurrect Mary.

I received a free ebook from ECW Press in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. ( )