Poppies

Michelle Sears

Feeling a sense of isolation, and the weight of the seriousness of COVID-19, I began creating nature-inspired works as both my mom and grandma often did when I was a child. Flowers seemed to appear in my work which can, and has, provided many people with the hope of growth and a continued resilience during challenging times.

This piece is not a literal interpretation, but rather a hopeful familiar metaphor or symbol that with love and compassion we can grow during the darkest of times. The work contains poppies which have their own symbolism in our history. They have been used as a metaphor to honor those who have fallen in war, or in times of struggle. This symbolism is relevant and needed now.

My work is inherently a reflection of the women I admire and the natural world that surrounds me. I often combine abstraction and observation to create vibrant, textured works in watercolor, ink, acrylic, oil, pastels or really anything that makes a mark on a blank surface.