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 story of the 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)..... read more?

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?