Painting Poppy Pods with Dyes

Eight 6 1/2" squares sketched with black dye

The same squares painted with thickened dye

Here I am experimenting with an image I see throughout my garden year after year. Over 20 years ago, my friend Diane, from Edmonton, AB gave me some seeds for some poppies that reseed themselves year after year. Although they move themselves around in the garden, I am careful to always leave a few to go to seed each fall.

For these textile squares, I first drew in the poppies with thickened black dye that I apply using a small bottle with a nib. After allowing it to dry a bit, I painted four sets of the 6 1/2" squares in coordinating colours. I am particularly pleased with set 3 where I used the reverse colouring for the poppy pods.