This week at Art in Action we reflected on Remembrance Day, sometimes called Armistice Day, to remember those who died in military service, and honour those who served in wartime. Remembrance Day is observed across Canada each year on 11 November — the anniversary of the Armistice Agreement of 1918 that ended the First World War. Inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, the poppy became a symbol of Remembrance Day. The poppy flower only grows in the absence of other flowers and in the ground that has been churned. On May 3, 1915, Canadian Dr. John McCrae observed the poppies growing between the crosses on the soldiers’ graves and wrote “In Flanders Fields.” Poppies are now an international symbol of remembrance around the world.
Art in Action students also looked at the Pop Art Movement of Andy Warhol, and Brazilian-born, Internationally-recognized artist Romero Britto. Born in Recife, Brazil, Britto lived an extremely modest childhood while growing up among a big family of eight brothers and sisters. Britto was inspired by Pablo Picasso and combines the elements of cubism, pop art, and graffiti art by painting in vibrant, bold, and colourful patterns. His goal is to reflect a joyful, playful and optimistic view of the world. We also looked at how pop art is meant for everyone and derived its name from “popular culture.” Taking the iconic Poppy as our focus and creating vibrant, bold, colourful and playful patterns in the style of Romero Britto we created this week’s Pop Art Poppies.
Have a look at our process…
Students began by breaking up the negative space around the poppy into geometric shapes that were then completely coloured in with oil pastels… This was quite the art workout! Then they painted in the poppy a bright red.
Next, students let their creativity flow by adding black acrylic paint over top of the pastels to scratch out unique lines and patterns.
Beautiful pieces everyone!
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
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.
-Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae