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The artist of these works, Jean Ritter (née Finch), was born during May of 1924, in Liverpool, England. Jean completed a science degree in 1945 and a diploma of education in 1946, becoming a teacher after the war ended. It was at university that Jean met her husband, Paul Ritter (1925-2010), a war refugee from Czechoslovakia. In 1965, the family moved to the city of Perth in Western Australia. Here, Jean became–and still is–involved in many community activities and committees (including standing for parliament), as well as being a devoted mother and wife. Despite being adept at art and crafts from an early age, it was not until she was given a tapestry kit for her 65th birthday that these larger works began. Once Jean had finished the design supplied, she wanted to do more. However, the cost of pre-printed canvases was very high, so Jean bought a cheaper blank canvas and let her imagination create the picture. With wool as her paint, the fun began… Jean's latest mastery, of the web and email, has kept her in touch with her countless friends, her seven children, fifteen grandchildren and many more relatives overseas. In April 2009, Jean and Paul celebrated the birth of their youngest son's first child, Josephine, the fifteenth grandchild so far. Jeans web-skills allow her to ignore the distance between Perth and London, and view monthly photos of this youngster on the internet. There were great celebrations in June '09 as well, with the birth of Jean and Paul's first great-grandchild, Oliver, born to their 7th grandchild. More about Jean can be found on the Path of Honour roll at the Edith Cowan University website. If you would like to leave a message or contact Jean personally, you can do so via the Guestbook page. |