There are poets, painters, artists, musicians all over the place in history who need a M U S E , amusing don’t you think?

Stella Cartwright was the muse who entranced a cohort of Scottish poets and inspired passionate, love poetry (20th century). Her correspondence gives a glimpse into tragic the story of a femme fatale – who held some of Scotland’s greatest ‘rhymers’ in the palm of her hand.

As a young girl she dreamed of becoming a poet, but she was destined to earn her place in literary history as a muse. She was introduced to the “Rose Street Poets” by her proud (bohemianesque) father as a ‘bubbly’ 17-year-old. This group of poets were fuelled by alcohol and they drew this teenager into its grasp, a cruel and sadistic act. Drink is the friend with a knife that turns to stab you (based on a quote by her lover George MacKay Brown). Stella’s life fell apart. While her lovers went on to success, marry, or to return back to their wives, alcoholism became her escape and she died alone in 1985 at the age of 48.

She did write poetry but her poems are only footnotes in history books. Victorine Meurent, Manet’s muse was a painter but yet again was designated to the margins. The creative need the weak to clamber over to reach success.  Who is the greater the artist or the spark?