Copper, Steel
Size 29" x 40.5"
Early June in the Applegate Valley in Oregon is magical. The flowers burst forward against the fading deep green of winter as if to wish the cold a final farewell. I found myself in a field of poppies at Troon Vineyard. I was memorized as these large paper thin flowers bobbed and teetered on their long thin stems. Dancing in the breeze with a fragility that can only be appreciated if you leave the flower untouched. The poppy warns "do not pick me, for I will wither away". Perhaps that's why I hold this bloom dear. A temperamental flower that refuses to look beautiful anywhere except where it chose to root.
I wanted the personality of the poppy to shine through in this piece. Using a thicker gauge copper, I was able to mimic the paper like petals through forging out each section to give it a lightness. In order to keep it feeling organic, movement and texture were ver important. By using chemical reactions rather than paint I was able to preserve even the thinnest marks. Created using my own photography and no computer assistance, this piece is truly an original.