Blazing Poppies

This subject has a particular fondness for me, the lane in the distance leads up to our old house,  I always used to feel when I turned off the main road up towards home that I was heading to my own bit of paradise.

I was taken by the vivid redness of the poppies massed in the fields, I went very early in the morning to try to catch the raking light but it was so windy it was me who was raking. My second visit was a little easier but the light wasn't so bright, however the memory remained with me.

I was initially a bit disappointed when I got back home with my finished painting, it didn't seems as vivid as when I was on the spot, despite me being aware now that I tend to minimise the contrasts. I am trying really hard to remedy that, but when I look at it against the photograph I took at the time the impression is pretty close to the reality.

This is part of my big push to say more with less (fewer marks that is, less fussy). In that respect I think this painting is going in the right direction.

Poppies below Wydale
oils on canvas
15 x 25 cm
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