Remembrance Day

Yesterday I got up early (to beat the crowds) to go and visit the Poppy installation at the Tower of London. I’d seen various people’s photos popping up on my various feeds but felt it was definitely something to see in person. This year marks the centenary of the First World War with the artist, Paul Cummins, commemorating each life lost with 888,246 ceramic poppies. The installation named ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ was incredibly moving. The scale is breath-taking and with the poppies simulating spilt blood it definitely put my grumbles about getting up at 5am in to perspective. When I got home I wanted to make my own little tribute and sculpt my own little poppies but instead of clay, opted for a medium I’m much more comfortable with. I made the little poppy toppers by using red flowerpaste and cutting around my paper poppy which I’ve been wearing on my coat. I frilled the edges slightly to give it the same look the paper ones have and made a black centre for each of them. I hope everyone takes time out to remember the importance of today and mark it in some way. If you want to find out more about the installation click here, you could also watch this incredible video of how it was made here. Or if you want to visit the poppies parts of it will be there for a bit longer.