Chasing Poppies is an abstract floral arrangement I created to illustrate an experience I had while in Germany. I used acrylic paint for the landscape and to create poppies in the background, then I added faux poppies in addition to real poppies for depth. I composed the song using PreSonus for iPad and recorded it onto a sound module hidden behind the poppy petals. There are real 21 common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) foraged in Bavaria, Germany used in this design.
I also wanted to convey my experience this summer through music. So, I composed a short piece that illustrates how once I foraged several poppies, the petals would begin to fly away leaving me with a handful of stems. Additionally, if I did get a few home, they would wither prematurely, within the hour, until I learned the secret to foraging poppies, which is to burn the ends of the stems so the sap stays inside.
Once I did this, I was able to forage lots of poppies! Finally, I came to understand that foraging poppies early in the morning is better than the evening as there are poppies just beginning to bloom as the sun comes up. As the day goes on and the wind continues to blow, the petals become more delicate and fall off easier.