There’s No Place like Home

Annie (2015) ink and acrylic on canvas

I want the viewer to sympathise but also be fearful of this depiction of the psychological shattering of Annie.

The film The Wizard of Oz is again my inspiration for my latest work Dorothy in the Deadly Poppy Field.  The poppy is a distinctive red flower which is immediately recognisable. It is a symbol of remembrance of the sacrifice of soldiers’ lives given on the battlefield. It is also a flower associated with narcotics.

Preliminary drawing

Applying watercolour over the ink wash

I gave the paper a wash of red ink but the colour looked pink. I thought I would try watercolour as this would create the delicate fluidity of the flower petals and also I could mix the exact hue I had planned. I had not used watercolours in a long time and was pleasantly surprised by the intense colour I achieved when painting the poppies.

Dorothy in the Deadly Poppy Field

Detail showing the fly on Dorothy’s hand

The poppies are a poignant symbol of death and create a feeling of unease when seen with a body.  Dorothy’s pose and features are human, yet she could be mistaken for a doll. I have purposely drawn her doll like to add to the feeling of the uncanny I am trying to create. This link to the animate and inanimate crosses the boundaries between life and death. The inclusion of a fly is a symbol that she is either a victim or a perpetrator.  I want the viewer to have something to think about and fill in the gaps to the story.