Get to Know Australian Artist Mary Leunig

Mary Leunig is a fighter. A mother. A communist. A lover. A hater. A feminist. An atheist.
But most of all – She is a pioneering artistic force who has been blessing her fans and cursing her enemies, with her drawings and creative works for over 50 years.

Born during 1950 in the Australian suburb of Maidstone, Mary was raised by her butcher parents and had an idyllic childhood – Getting into trouble, playing in the backyard, and taking her first dips into creativity. Then, after a short stint at university, Mary became a mother at a young age; before embarking on what was to become a lifelong career as an artist.

With Mary’s works appearing in a wide range of publications over the years such as smut rag Penthouse, noted literary journal Overland, and iconic Melbourne newspaper The Age; to name but a few. With Mary also devoting much of her time to creating art for various political and social causes.
She has also had her art published in book form by noted companies such as Penguin, and Brow Books. Along with collaborating with indie printers such as Glom Press on limited edition prints.
Placing Mary at the forefront of the Australian creative scene.

Domestic bliss as envisioned by Mary Leunig.

With Mary’s works being humorous, often grotesque, created with a confident, unique hand; and bursting forth with life and personality.

Wanting to learn more about her, we sent Mary some questions to answer over email.
Take a jump into her world, below…

Getting Acquainted

City, state, and country you currently call home?

I live in Bendigo, Australia.

City, state, and country you’re from?

I am from Maidstone, Australia.

An anti-domestic violence poster from the 1990s, featuring art by Mary.
Produced by the Australian Teachers’ Union.

To help us to get to know you – Please share a memory, or two, or even more if you wish; from the stages of your life noted below:

* Your childhood:

My parents, Jean and Bernie worked at Angliss Meatworks in Footscray. They met at the Butchers Picnic; I have photos of them and their workmates.
They married and moved to the Western Suburbs of Melbourne into a nice weatherboard house with a backyard.
I was born 4th in a family of 5 kids; I was the 3rd girl.
I loved the backyard, the chook shed, the other shed, and the trees.

I had a happy childhood – I made cubby huts all over the place, I made bows and arrows, and wooden guns; I played cowboys with the neighbourhood kids.
I went to North Footscray State School and even back then I was good at art, doing drawings on the blackboard for Education Day; as well as drawings of beautiful girls for my friends and teachers.

* Your teenage years and twenties:

In my teens I liked boys, I tried to straighten my hair, my school uniform was too short, I talked too much in class, and I got into trouble.
I was also asked to do a mural in the school foyer.

Being 4th and the 3rd girl; I was pretty much left alone, which was good. Michael was “the pet” and very popular with his teachers and friends. He was good at humour but not drawing.
So, when I got into art school studying printmaking and painting; and bringing my work home and sticking it up all over the house, I think he got jealous and he dropped out of Uni and Teacher’s College. I think that created an urge in him to stop me, his little siter, getting too big for my boots.

He was very clever – He decided to change the course of my life by doing the ‘unthinkable’…
Asking me to take my clothes off…
Telling me he wanted to, “see me naked.”
He manipulated a visit to my sister’s house in Mildura – I was eager to visit her and was flattered that Michael had invited me. But my sister wasn’t there and so the manipulation continued…
I was also ager to please Michael. I was 17, very inexperienced… A virgin…
He took photos of me gradually taking off my clothes until I was naked!

Life back in the family home became impossible as I couldn’t deal with being in his company. So, I dropped out of Art School and left home.

I moved into a share house with other art students. Leon was there and we became boyfriend and girlfriend.
I got pregnant.
I tried to get an abortion but they were illegal and the cops were in action; and there was a famous Abortion Inquiry… So, I went back to the family home.
Joe was born a few months later.

I was an ‘unmarried mother,’ and so received the Unmarried Mother’s Pension. I was also good around the house and enjoyed the housework I did because it helped my mother.
I did Michael’s washing, sweeping, and tidying. Jean did his ironing.

When Joe was 12 months’ old we left home and moved into a house with Leon.
Leon finished his Art Course and then did Teacher Training. I stayed home with Joe and then got pregnant again.
When our daughter Kitty was born, I returned to complete my studies part time.

I also started getting work! Magazines – ‘Matilda’, ‘Playboy’; newspaper work – ‘Nation Review’; also posters and pamphlets for various Government projects.
Meanwhile, the Director of Penguin Books saw my work in an exhibition and got in touch. Penguin published 4 books of my drawings from the early 1980s to mid 1990s.
My work was being published and praised!
I was very lucky.

* Your 30s and 40s?

Me, Leon, and our 2 kids moved to Daylesford and built a mud brick home.
It was on 2 acres of mullock heap and adjoined my larger family and sibling’s homes – My parents, my siblings, and their kids.
Shoulda worked out, coulda been good; but it sort of fell apart…
Fell out with my family of origin.
EVERYONE in that family fell out with everyone.
My parents and siblings also didn’t like my work being published.

Anyway, we fled and lived in Melbourne; but the land in Daylesford we built our home on didn’t belong to us; did it – FUCK!!
This situation was a big part of our lives and our kids’ as well.
Leon taught art, I did art, books, etc.
We are ok now except my kids’ hate me and want me to die…
It’s a family thing!

* Your 50s and 60s?

In our (Leon and my) 50s or so, we moved to Merton, in the Strathbogie Ranges.
A mud brick house surrounded by 100 acres of bush with animals – Roos, koalas, possums, wild deer, snakes, wallabies…
It was beautiful!

* Your 70s so far?

Now we live in Bendigo.
I’m 74 and I love my cat (lil puss), dog (pickles), and Leon.
Our adult kids have estranged themselves from us – I do drawings about these issues.
My family (extended) and my kids hate me for it, but I think it’s funny.
I do other stuff as well.

A recent photo of Mary in one of her embroidered outfits.

Personal Motto?

I say “hello” quite a lot.

What role did toys play in your childhood?
… and any favourites you remember?

I had a baby doll and later on a modern doll with long, straight, orange hair.
I had a Hopalong Cassidy gun and holster.
I loved the backyard, birds and their nests, making stuff… playing.

A risograph print of Mary’s art, that was recently produced by Glom Press.

Creativity Questions

If you had to explain your creative endeavours to some recently crash-landed aliens…
What would you tell them?

I’ve never been disturbed by my work like some people are, but I’m disturbed at the moment!

When and why did you first become interested in art and everything creative?
… and any pivotal moments or influences?

I can’t remember, but my family would visit the Footscray Library every Friday.
I loved the kids’ books, the illustrations; but never moved on to the more ‘advanced’ reading areas – Y’know, books about ‘chums’ and horses and girls’ adventures.
I remember my parents being worried and trying to get me to be ‘normal’ for my age…
But!
There was another section in this Library…
The ‘Art’ section… art books!
Beautiful books on Van Gogh, Modigliani, Goya, and more and more! And because my older sister was in this ‘adult’ section she actually borrowed these books for me!
I was very lucky.

I also loved the Melbourne Museum and Art Gallery and would visit often.

I had a copy of ‘The Bible in Pictures.’ It was a graphic novel – amazing images. Angels and crucified Christ with his long hair and beard.
I started drawing people with wings.

Various art books of Mary’s released over the years.
Specifically: ‘There’s No Place Like Home’ (Penguin, 1983); ‘A Piece of Cake’ (Penguin, 1986); ‘One Big Happy Family’ (Penguin, 1992); and ‘One Good Turn’ (Brow Books, 2018).

Who are some of your favourite musicians?

I love music so it’s hard to have favourites…
I listen to ABC Classic and KLFM Bendigo.

Any news, upcoming projects, or releases to share?

I’ve been sorting my drawings lately – I have so many hundreds!
Mainly because I exhibited in book form, so I never really sold anything over the years. Never really had any public art exhibitions.
So, I’m trying to put these drawings in order – I never dated stuff so it’s driving me nuts having to remember!

One thing is, I like my drawings. I’m more appreciative of them now, so that’s good.

Michael has just died so things are a bit weird… I put a drawing, or a couple of drawings about him on my Insta page expressing how I feel…

2 works of Mary’s showing her wide range of styles.

If people wanted to check out your stuff, work with you, or buy some of your wares – Where should they visit and how should they get in touch?

Probably my Instagram or website.

Also, Bendigo Trades Hall have a collection of my Union drawings hanging in their Reading Room – Which is nice.
I need to get the rest of my stuff into collections before I die, otherwise they will end up down the tip.

Odds & Ends

What are the top 3 items you own?
… and what is it about each of them that you so love?

My house.

An interior photo of Mary’s abode.
Featuring a wide array of her creations – Form illustrations, to fabric works, and collage.

My sewing machine.
It’s good to make things – clothes, and sometimes do repairs for friends.
I make a basic tunic myself, have done so for years. I line this tunic with beautifully patterned soft material that I have collected over the years – at Forges in Footscray, Jobs Warehouse in Melbourne, or Op-Shops.
I often embroider an image on the front – A union quote or a feminist message.
At the moment I am chain-stitching “Misogyny and Sexism, Every Day in Every Way” with a pic of Julia Gillard beautifully chainstitched underneath.

Mary with one of her hand made, embroidered outfits.

I value Leon but is he an item?

An old photo of Mary’s long-term partner Leon.

What does God mean to you?

I am an atheist and probably a communist.

If you could live in any place, during any historical era – When and where would that be?
… and why would you choose that time and place?

Maidstone, Melbourne, Australia in the 1950s.
I choose this because I would know how to deal with issues that impacted the world.

If you had to sum up your home-country, Australia in one object – What would it be?
Why did you choose it?
… and how does it represent Australia to you?

The Kamay Spears.
I choose this to represent Australia and what might have happened if Captain Cook had gotten one through the heart.