How One Woman Reinvented herself at 72

Celebrating the Paper

Photo by Tamanna Rumee on Unsplash

Meet Mary Delany, a true inspiration.

Who knew you could reinvent yourself and create a profession making beautiful paper flower art work in the 1700’s?

She reinvented herself at the age of 72, when she became a widow, struggling with financial issues and not knowing what to do next.

One happy day, the Duchess of Portland invited her to live at her estate. What a lifesaver! Delany was at wit’s end, and now she had a roof over her head.

Mary Delany began creating her delicate flower collages as a hobby at the Duchess’s house.

The Duchess of Portland loved the artwork and showed it to her friends, who started buying them like crazy!

These paper flower art pieces are now part of the British Museum’s collection. 

I love this story!

Re-starting and re-inventing are such challenges

It’s so hard to restart or reinvent our lives after 40, 50, or 60, so when I read about Mary starting her life again in her 70s and doing so with paper flowers, I just had to buy her book!

Delany loved doing her paper flowers and I imagine that paper flower artwork was the perfect hobby for a lady in the 1700’s.

I hear over and over that we should do what we know and what we like. True.Great advice. 

But to have a hobby become a business and then end up in a museum is something else!

Does art imitate life or the other way around?

How do you feel about paper flowers? Portugal has paper flower festivals during the summer. Don’t miss it if you are coming to Portugal in July and August.

Modern paper flowers have unique designs and bold colors and are not necessarily trying to imitate nature.

Nature is their muse, and they are exquisite in their own right.

Today’s paper flower artists are daring with their designs and exhibit their work in interesting ways.

When I consider that there’s more to paper flowers than just cheering up a corner of a room, that they’re an art form, I can see the artistry clearer. They’re the creator’s view of nature, not just a pale imitation of a beautiful, living thing.

Paper flowers can be three-dimensional paintings or sculptures. Some are whimsical, while others try hard to imitate nature, and others are crazy and creative – just like a painting or a sculpture.

Paper Flower Festival

On a scorching hot day, I went to Campo Maior in Portugal to visit their flower festival.

Feeling disinterested in paper flowers but wanting to get out of the house, I dragged my feet through the unbearable Alentejo heat.

I arrived early to avoid the crowd. When I walked onto the main street of the festival, my mood changed completely. There were paper flowers all over and above me. They were beautiful!

Shaded by the paper flowers above me, I took in the life-size creations and day-life-themed tableaux hung on stalls. These vibrant creations turned me into a fan of this art form.

“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” – Zen Shin

More on Paper Flowers

Do you need inspiration? Meet these amazing women:

Grandma Moses :How a fabulous woman reinvented herself at 76

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Updated January 2025