Poppies After O'Keeffe
Linda's voice:
As an assignment for one of my painting courses at university, I painted
some large scale, close-up flower paintings, which prompted a comment
from one of my fellow students that they reminded him of the work of
Georgia O’Keeffe. At the time, I had never heard of this American
painter, but after researching her work and her interesting life, I was
fascinated by her and was inspired to do this piece.
My student painting of a poppy is surrounded by a collection of the
photographs and fabric remnants that I used to create the original
painting, reproductions of two of O’Keeffe’s poppy paintings, and the
tools or our common trade. My own painting is partially covered by a
thin white cloth, a thinly veiled reference to a practice of O’Keeffe’s,
which was to drape her work in progress to discourage comments on the
unfinished piece. She felt that unsolicited remarks contaminated her
vision and ruined her original ideas.
This work is a homage to Georgia O’Keeffe, her beloved red poppies and
the inspiration she has given to a generation of women artists
Private Collection
Oil on Canvas
32" x 24"