Interview with Susan Murray 
 

Susan Murray was said to be "the Chic-est Flower Child",

by Glamour Magazine in an article called

"Nineteen Supermodels" published in 1968.

Susan Murray's Album

"One of the famous Mod Models from England during the "British Invasion" was Susan Murray. Susan had in Super Spades the look that was connected with the British Invasion, long straight Anglo-Saxon hair, the misty un-made -up skin, and the poetic, slightly fey, quality. She loved the "thrift shop" look in clothes, intricate little hand-made things, needle work bags, embroidered shirts. She carried a thick diary to sittings with notes made in pink, green and yellow inks, photographs and her own sketches of her favorite people and pressed flowers. It was a portable collection of everything in her life."

Glamour 1968

 

Name of Model: Susan Murray

Years in modeling: 1964 age 17 to 1969, 

then a final fling somewhere around 1972 to 1974.

National Origin: British.

Agency: Lucie Clayton, Model's One London, Fords New York

Where were you born? Bournemouth UK

Date of Birth. 7th May 1946

.

What were your school days like?

School days were at a convent boarding school in the Nilgri Hills of Southern India. Learning was by rote - typical of 50's education; strict rules of silence, uniforms, staying in lines, etc.  But being in the hills and going on long Sunday walks was enjoyable. There was an American coed school in the same village, and I was very envious of their freedoms. I did regret losing contact with my classmates when we all went our different directions, modeling seemed such a racy world, theirs more protected. I did reconnect when I had settled down and gained some maturity.
 

What special interests did you have as a child?

Drawing plants, caterpillars, butterflies, chameleons, toads, birds, swimming, always the outdoors.

Were you shy or extroverted?

I was shy.

How did you decide to be a model?

I never decided to become a model. I was always going to study painting. Although I once saw in one of my Mother's magazines a feature with models on a trip to Jamaica they named the models and it looked like fun. Never did I dream that I would go to a spa with Paulene Stone one of those models in later years. 

Were your parents supportive?

I went to London at age 17 to art school, my parents put me in a catholic hostel for young women. My friend across the hall was none other than Jose, who started Model's One! She had keys cut so we could go to nightclubs and come in after the 10.30 pm curfew!

How did you get started?

On one occasion at the hostel someone showed this newcomer from Shri Lanka  a photo of London's top model, Jean Shrimpton taken by her boyfriend photographer David Bailey.  She looked so unusual, and beautiful, with a wide-eyed innocence unlike anything I thought models looked like. I knew nothing of top models then, and never imagined that in a few months I would also be working with Bailey.

On my way to art school, I would get stopped by strangers and asked if I would pose for them. An Aunt who was working at Woman's Own, suggested that the proper way to go abut this would be to have a respectable photographer take some test shots. The photographer was John French, very distinguished and of the old school, he was instrumental in setting David Bailey, Brian Duffy and Terence Donavon on their careers, they were all his assistants.

Did you work right away or did you have to struggle?

At that time a documentary was being made on Jean Shrimpton and part of it was on what it takes to become a model. They went to John French and asked him if he knew of anyone who was not yet a model but had potential. The result was my being filmed at art school, sending me for an interview at Lucie Claytons Model Agency filming that, and sending me to Lucie Claytons Modeling School for four weeks training.

Jean Shrimpton and Celia Hammond  and I think Tania Mallet all went there and were on their books. The end result of the documentary was that I did not need to go on any "go sees". I was booked right away.

Do you recall some of your earlier modeling assignments?

One of the earliest jobs was with Norman Parkinson  traveling to the South of France which was heaven. Then the French collections for Vogue with Bailey, but that is another story. Not long after Vogue put me under contract for a couple of years.

What magazines did you work for? I worked for Glamour and American Vogue when I went to the States. Editor's Note:

Did you make friends with other models?  

Yes I was friends with Celia who took me under her wing in the early days, Moira Swan, Ingrid Boulting, Charly Stember, Jan Ward, and others
 

What was it like working for those magazines/clients?

Working for Vogue was a luxury in that you had your hair done by a hairdresser a lot of the time. Make up artists were  only for a cover or beauty shot. The clothes were fabulous. I loved the trips abroad. The editors were creative and talented and kind. In general everything was upbeat unless the occasional photographer was in a bad mood.,rare but there was one I knew of!

What photographers did you work with?

I loved working for Glamour especially for photographer Bob Richardson, as I did not have to disguise myself in a ton of make up, I could be my age. Another photographer who worked along those lines was Traeger in London. I enjoyed working for Bob Kreiger in Milan for Bazaar, in my return to modeling in the early 70's. I worked mostly for Bailey I have him to thank for all the work we did together and the Vogue contracts. These were my favourite photographers along with others that were friends like David Anthony, Jim Lee and Alexis Valdec.
 

What agencies did you work with?

I began at Lucie Claytons, then when my friend Jose opened her agency Model's One, Ingrid Boulting , Marissa Barenson  and I (her friends) went to become her first models. I joined Fords on my first trip to New York.

Was there any person that was especially helpful or encouraging to you?

Bailey was helpful and encouraging. When I went to New York for the first time he wrote me a letter instructing me  to see Diana Vreeland .( I believe he wrote to her too).and reminded me  to be sure to collect payment for a Yardley commercial I did in London. He worked with me for my entire career.
 

Did you travel in your career?  What places?

I travelled to New Zealand, Tunisia, East Africa, Thailand, Italy, France,Spain, Canary Islands, St Martin, Sicily. Ibiza, Jamaica and more.  I loved New Zealand for its vast openness, but not for it's food!

 Tell us about your favorite location shoot or shoots.

 I seem to remember having fun in St Martin with Arnaud de Rosnay (photographer) and Ara Gallant( hairdresser) and Marissa. I also remember riding in the Carmague on those wild white ponies, galloping along the beaches with Heidi on was a trip for Glamour, with Franco Rubartelli.  Claudia Duxbury was with us too. We continued on to Mont Blanc in Italy. Another great time was in Cadiz with Arnaud de Rosnay riding Spanish horses the colour of gold, that were trained for the bullring.  To ride them was like a dream.

What was your worst modeling experience?

I can't remember any specific worst experiences, freezing in a summer dress in the middle of winter, Waiting on set forever when the photographers strobe equipment wouldn't work. Having to change my fly away hair  for catalogue work.

Why did you stop modeling, if you have?

 I stopped because it was time, I was more interested in painting and moved to Boston to continue with that.

How do you think a career as a top model has helped you in life?

I suppose being exposed to a world of good taste in clothing, interiors, design, photography must have rubbed off,  although I am a 'make do' kind of person! It gave me the financial freedom to pursue other interests.
 

Are you married or have you been married? 

Married yes. Children-  a son and a daughter.

Would you encourage them to model if they could be assured of success? ( i.e. a contract with a top client or agency.)

I would never encourage them to model. To have a focus on looks can lead to eating disorders. They may have an opportunity for careers that could provide greater fulfillment.
 

What career path or paths have you followed since retiring from modeling?

My career path since modeling has been to raise two children and to immerse myself in painting.
 

What have you learned from life that you might wish to share?

I am still learning! I don't want to say anything for fear of pontificating! Annual meditation retreats  help me to put things in perspective.
 

 SEE MORE OF SUSAN'S BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS AT:

http://www.smstokes.com/gallery2/main.php

Anita

Susan's Website

Susan Murray Stokes was born in Bournemouth, England and raised in India and Sri Lanka. She knew early in life that she wanted to paint and was fortunate in having access to the traditions of Western painting through the good offices of a member of the British Royal Academy living in Sri Lanka.

In the early 1960's Susan moved to London to pursue her studies at the Byam Shaw School of Art. It was at this time that she accepted a Vogue contract and worked with such legendary photographers as David Bailey, Bert Stern, Richard Avedon and Irving Penn. The hectic and somewhat superficial life in New York, Paris and London led her back to India in quest of meditation in the Himalayas. Here Susan realized that she had not had time to acquire the grammar of painting.

She returned to New York to search for a teacher, and she discovered Harvey Dinnerstein at the National Academy of Design. She also studied with Daniel Greene at the Art Student's League. In the late 70's Susan moved to Boston and studied with R. H. Ives Gammell. Gammell represented a direct line descendent from the teaching of Jacques-Louis David [1748-1825] to Paul Delaroche [1797-1856] to Jean-Leon Gerome [1824-1904] to William McGregor Paxton [1869- 1941]. Gammell's atelier included no more than five students at any given time, and it was his hope and intention to pass on the tradition of picture making to a new generation of painters.

Susan's work has been exhibited in many group shows and one woman shows including the National Arts Club, the Salmagundi club and Portraits Inc in New York, the Painters of Light show in Dallas Texas, the Lancaster Festival of Arts show in Ohio, the Springville Museum of Art Utah, the Main Street Gallery Nantucket, Francesca Andersons' gallery in Lexington, the Guild of Boston Artists, and the Copley Society Boston.

Over the years Susan has received awards from the National Academy of Design, the American Artist's Professional League, the Silvermine Guild Connecticut, the Grumbacher award and the Frank Benson award from the Guild of Boston Artists, the John Singleton Copley award from the Copley Society, where she has qualified as a Copley Master. Susan also received a grant from Earthwatch [sponsored by the Weber Foundation] to accompany a botanical expedition to Mexico.

The New York Graphic Society and Townhouse Press have published Susan's work. Recently Susan was chosen to depict a portrait of Dorothea Dix, for the city of Worcester’s Mechanics Hall. Her portraits can also be seen at Harvard and Northeastern Universities.

Susan's mature work reflects both the diversity of her background and the strength of her chosen tradition. Each canvas contains both the organized interplay of abstract patterns and finely rendered aspects of visual truth. It is the marriage of these two elements design and fidelity of observation, which have been the criteria used to define excellence in painting by the harshest of critics which is time.

Susan Murray Stokes lives near Boston Massachusetts with her husband. Her two children are now in college. She travels in the summer to Nantucket and the White Mountains in New Hampshire to paint landscapes, and in the winter she paints primarily portraits.

http://www.smstokes.com/gallery2/main.php