Poppies In October (Ode To Sylvia Plath)

Inspiration
This artwork was inspired by the great American poet, novelist, and short-story writer Sylvia Plath. 

Focusing on her poem ‘Poppies In October’ from the anthology ‘Ariel’ as inspiration. The poem opens with an image of poppies surviving the cold of October, Plath describes these as a gift- the only flowers blooming in the garden.

Poppies In October explores the nature of intense emotion and the struggle to find meaning and beauty in the midst of chaos. It presents a more introspective and contemplative tone than Poppies In July, but both poems share a sense of the power and richness of intense, emotional experiences in everyday life.

Technique
Poppies In October (Ode To Sylvia Plath) was created by constructing a hand-cut collage using female photographic portraiture combined with photograms, photographs and illustrations of poppies, foliage and preserved bees.

After coating the handmade paper with light-sensitive chemistry, it is left to dry in a dark room. The large scale negative is then contact printed onto the paper by exposing to daylight (UV rays). The print is then processed by thoroughly washing in water to remove any unexposed solution. It can then be hung to dry, developing to full density Prussian blue after 24 hours. Once dried the individual elements are hand cut and collaged together to create a multilayered paper cut artwork.

Dimensions
Unframed:  Paper cut bust  
Framed:      600mm diameter x 30mm depth x 18mm face

Paper
Handmade recycled cotton rag paper: 
320gsm / 100% Cotton Rag / Recycled / Acid Free / PH Neutral / Medium Rough

Mount
We use float mounting for all of our framed cyanotypes. The artwork floats above a snow-white mount board, showcasing the paper texture and deckled edging.

Framing
Framed artwork will arrive ready to hang.

Each frame is handmade by our London based design team. They prime and sand the wooden frame before spraying black or white soft-sheen paint to achieve the highest quality finish. All frames come with gallery spec, 3mm thick anti-reflective/ UV glazing as standard. 

If you would like a bespoke frame, please get in touch to discuss alternative colours, gilding and glazing options.