Poppies are one of my favourite flowers. When I was a kid poppies were abundant in every arable field brightening up the crops with their cheerful colour. Sadly it seems that the abundance of the past has all but vanished. You can visit a field of ripening wheat now and you might not see even one splash of red. Earlier this year we trawled all round the Wolds looking for poppies to paint and photograph. We were getting excited if we even managed to come across a couple of lonely stragglers on the very edge of a field. Thankfully, however, we did eventually find a few farms where the poppies were allowed to flourish with the crops. So a big thank you to them and I'm sure things taste better when made with cereals mixed with natural poppy seeds. Normally I use masking fluid and paint the poppies last but for this I painted the poppies first and then built the painting round them. I think they have a more natural look about them without the hard edges that masking fluid leaves. Anyway poppies have become synonymous with remembrance of the many fallen in wars. This year is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War One and today is Armistice Day so I think it appropriate to use the painting as my personal memorial and grateful thanks for all those who paid the price for our freedom today. Glenn
RSS Feed
