Painting (33) Bright Poppies, Dark Field

Poppies have become a favorite subject to paint. I’d love to plant them in my garden [if I’m ever able to get out to a garden center this year] but in the meantime, I can at least adorn my walls with them. It’s said the poppies grew more abundantly on the soil where the soldiers fell on the Western Front during the Great War. So while they are a symbol of remembrance, they also remind us of how the earth heals itself. From the ravished earth springs forth new life. We see how nature is taking a deep breath while we have lowered our impact on it. The air is fresher, the waterways are cleaner and the birds seem to be singing more loudly. A bright spot, if you will, during this dark time. Here are my Bright Poppies in a Dark Field:

Painting (32) Dark Water

I’ve been trying to put my lockdown time to good use. Actually, or rather sadly maybe, this is not that much different from my normal routine. Although I am missing my pub time… I’m back to work on the WWI novel [for real this time] and I’m doing an editing project for a friend. This painting is the result of several failed attempts at painting water lilies. In frustration, I painted the canvas purple and then parts of it randomly black. I was immediately reminded of a photo I took of the ocean at night and voila:

Robert Graves – Sketch (3) 2020

The poet/author Robert Graves has been featured here previously. I wrote about his experiences during the Great War and his inclusion in the memorial to the War Poets in Westminster Abbey. As well as being a fascinating character and a wonderful writer, he also has an excellent face: strong chin, full mouth, penetrating gaze, good bones… and so this week I chose to draw the young poet: Robert Graves.

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And the photo I used for reference:

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