FREDERICTON – A Fredericton artist spent the past four months painting 100 unique poppies to honour the anniversary of World War One.
Sheila McPhee of Gallery Opaque says it was a friend who reminded her of the anniversary and she knew she wanted to do something to commemorate it.
“I just worked night and day, I would get up at two or three in the morning, put on coffee and just paint,” she said.
She began painting in April, and painted about three poppies a day. McPhee added character and unique textures to each one – using tops of pop cans, mirrors from disco balls, coffee cup lids and hearing aid batteries.
“They came from my mother, my since deceased mother, she passed away 12 days ago, and she wore two hearing aids,” McPhee said. “I decided to recycle the batteries, saving them from the landfill, painted over them and they became part of my painting so when I looked at them it reminds me of my mother.”
She managed to finish the 100 paintings by the anniversary of World War One, and they’re now displayed at Government House in Fredericton.
“It’s very emotional, very emotional to realize, that, they are here. And the reason they can be here, is that we’re here. We’re free.”
McPhee’s 100 poppies will be on display at Government House until November 11.
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