Ancient Egyptian art was one influence that Gum used in her interpretation of an Art Deco design she painted c.1931-33 on a Czech Epiag brand plate, signed M. Gum. Although more widely known for her watercolors of gum trees, as art teacher at Wilderness School, Adelaide, Gum was an excellent drawing and design teacher. Egyptian art was highly symbolic. The Egyptian sculptor used clay, wood, metal, ivory, and stone. Egyptian art was highly symbolic and a painting or sculpture was not meant to be a record of a momentary impression. Apparent differences were the result of subtle changes, not an altered conception of art or its role in society." You will find subject matter covered other than sculpture but it all ties together nicely.

Egyptian art was remarkably conservative, tied to an artistic tradition that resisted major change even down into Roman times. This may be due to the fact that much of surviving Egyptian art and architecture was connected in some way with religion, death, burial and/or the afterlife, but other factors as well need to be considered. Egyptian art was generally very formal, and presented an idealised version of the subject matter which often encompassed many layers of meaning. When depicting people, traditional art stuck closely to strict guidelines and depicted people in formal poses. Egyptian art was very precise. Through geometry, symmetry, and balance, explain how these ideas were important to Egyptian artists.