I get asked this question all the time. What led me to paint so many poppies, in so many colors, in so many different ways?
Well, I love them. In fact, I've been drawn to them (inexplicably) for nearly twenty years. My first love is the red variety that grows in the fields of many countries of Europe. There's something about that bright hue that has the power to defy grayness and brighten up even the cloudiest day.
Poppies are graphic, many with bold black centers and geometric shapes inside. They are ephemeral; poppies really don't last long especially as a cut flower. And they are so fragile, the way they wave in the breeze at the top of their long slender stems.
I believe that art is about love. If you are going to collect art, buy art that you simply love. There doesn't need to be a better reason for choosing a piece. And if you are going to make art, make art that you love.
If an artist makes work because they love it, it will come through.
A little over a year ago when I started painting again, I stretched myself to paint things other than poppies for a while. I painted snapdragons, hollyhocks, lotus flowers, and hibiscus. It was an enjoyable exploration, but as I rounded out the journey, I kept coming back to poppies.
I love them, so I paint them. It's as simple as that.
