I have been busy making poppies this week for some artworks based on a relative Ernest Ainscow who died in WW1. The article I wrote Discovering Ernest was published in the Zine version of Inside History on 4 November (pg 48). Inside History is a great magazine focussing on the historical aspects of Australia and New Zealand and well worth subscribing to if you are into history.
November 11 of course is remembrance day so if a poppy pops up near you please support your local RSL and buy a symbol of peace and remembrance for those who lost their lives (like Ernest). Ernest was only 19 when he died and is buried in France but next year all being well I will be paying tribute to his sacrifice in an exhibition in Cairns. Will let you know when I have a date.
There are so many ways to make red poppies including using a red underglaze which gives the most consistent red colour. I used Prism red which gave the deeper red colourer. I also experimented with a red stain added to a clear glaze that I knew was stable. Four different kinds of red stain but I think Fire Engine Red turned out the nicer colour. Then I underglazed with prism red and overlaid with the Fire Engine Red Glaze – Interesting results giving deep colouring. I am still experimenting.
I laugh when I think back to when I first started in ceramics and I would have thought – make a red poppy – one way to do it. Wrongggggggg A hundred ways to get a red poppy in different forms, colours and techniques. Soldiering on 🙂
As do so many of my ceramic colleagues – Why not check out what they are up to at Mud Colony this week.
Happy clay days everyone – Lest We forget
deborahgowerceramics 
hi Deb, I smiled when you said about ‘one way to make a red poppy’ – ah the endless possibilities. I quite like the paler ones in your image, plenty of petal detail. Good luck with the exhibition. My Grandfather was one of the lucky ones to come home and pick up family life again. I have a photo of him with his wife and two baby sons (my dad on his knee) as he poses in uniform. You can see the dread in my grandmothers eyes while he looks like a boy going off to camp… he came back with a terrible cough, could have been mustard gas or could have been the ‘flu epidemic… he never talked about the experience other than to remark on the mud.
HI Anna Thanks for your comments. It was a terrible war. I am glad your Grandfather made it back though. Deb x
Gorgeous poppies! (I was so disappointed this year when my poppy patch was just about to bloom – I stupidly left the chooks’ gate open – they got out and wantonly destroyed the lot! Arrgh!)
I’m with Anna – I like how you can see more of the veins in the paler ones.
Thanks Georgia – I appreciate the feedback – Hope your poppies pop up next year Deb x