Poppy Inspiration

I have a background in pharmacy and have always been fascinated by the use of botanicals in medicine.  It would only make sense that I would be inspired to create jewelry based on the poppy flower. What’s not to like? It has a rich history. It is beautiful and considered a symbol of both sleep and death. I clearly remember Dorothy and her company of friends destined for the Emerald City only to be stopped by an enormous field of poppies. “Something attractive to the eye and soothing to the smell,” The Witch said. Clever girl. But this isn’t the main reason for my creation of a jewelry collection of poppy flowers.

Papaver rhoeas, or field poppy is also regarded as the Remembrance Flower which was inspired by the World War I poem, “In Flander’s Field.” The soils in France and Belgium had large amounts of lime left over from the rubble during the First World War which caused poppy flowers to grow around the grave sites of the war dead. John McCrae’s poem beautifully illustrates this. I love the combination of remembrance, respect for life, renewed life and eternal sleep all wrapped up in one gorgeous, lush, red bloom (and yes, it does come in other colors.)

All of this collected in the back of my head over the years and really screamed at me when I ran across a Japanese heat patina process called Hido. It works on copper and while it can be very tricky to achieve, the iridescent, brilliant reds and hot pinks that result are breath taking. The poppy flower was my most immediate thought. Inspiration is great that way when it hits you like an epiphany and makes your heart race.

I hope the Poppy Collection delights you for whatever reason. There is a lot to appreciate about this botanical. It’s not on the Royal College of Anaethetists coat of arms for nothing.