Remembrance Day

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-John McCrae, 1919

Persephone

This is a linocut of the Greek myth of Persephone. The ancient Greek goddess Persephone, beloved daughter of Demeter was kidnapped by Hades, god of the underworld, and taken to his home where she was tempted with many delicious items. The pomegranate proved the most irresistible and sealed her fate. For the six pomegranate seeds she accepted from Hades, she was required to return every year for six months, where she became Hades' queen. During her absence (autumn and winter) her mother the grain goddess grieves, and the plants whither and die until they are reborn on her return; this explains the seasons.

The print is in a variable edition of 6 on lovely Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper, 11 inches or 28 cm square. The block was inked 'à la poupée', with different colours applied directly to a single block. Persephone is deep indigo, with red pomegranate, lips and poppy and golden wheat.

I've depicted Persephone with a poppy and wheat crown for symbolic reasons. She was an agrarian goddess, hence the wheat. The poppy was used as an offering for the dead in Greek and Roman myth. It is associated with sleep, including eternal sleep. The bright red colour of the poppy is also a promise of resurrection, much like spring coming with Persephone's yearly return. (Which I discovered when I dressed as Persephone for a Winter Solstice feast and costume party one year).

Poppies

A group of poppies is illustrated in this original first edition linocut print, with chine collé. The poppies are printed in black ink on white and red Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper. Each sheet is 32 cm high by 24 cm wide (12.5" by 9.5") with a deckle edge. The first edition is limited to eight prints. It's a very graphic print in red, black and white.

The Trans-Canada Etsy Team selected the theme 'Red for Remembrance' for the month of November. I thought I would be direct about it and illustrate some poppies. They are beautiful, laden with symbolism and very graphic in red and black.