A Moment of Silence: A Painting of Remembrance

Over the years, I have created many paintings that reference Remembrance Day, incorporating red poppies into their stories. Some are more traditional in their approach, while others explore the subject through a contemporary visual language. What I have come to realize is that, whether I set out to reference Remembrance Day or not, the moment a red poppy appears in one of my paintings, people make that connection. The symbol carries a meaning that reaches far beyond the canvas.

In Canada, Remembrance Day is observed every year on November 11. It is a day to honour the men and women who have served our country in times of war and conflict, particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is also a time to reflect on the human cost of war, recognize the service of veterans and active military personnel, and consider the importance of peace.

The date marks the armistice that brought the fighting of the First World War to an end on November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m. Today, Remembrance Day honours Canadians who have served across generations, from the world wars to Korea, peacekeeping missions, and more recent conflicts.

For me, the red poppy remains one of the most powerful symbols in our Canadian visual landscape. Its meaning is deeply embedded in our collective memory, and it is a symbol I continue to return to in my work.

A New Painting Emerges: A Moment of Remembrance

Created for Remembrance Day, this new portrait brings one of Canada’s most enduring symbols into a contemporary visual language. A young blonde woman holds a brilliant red poppy in front of her mouth, her piercing blue eyes meeting the viewer’s gaze. The oversized flower commands the composition, its vivid red petals set against golden hair, warm skin tones, and a landscape of cool blues and greens that evokes the Canadian outdoors.

The poppy’s significance is rooted in the battlefields of the First World War, particularly the fields of Flanders, where these flowers grew among the devastation of war. Inspired in part by the poem In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian physician and soldier John McCrae in 1915, the red poppy became an enduring symbol of remembrance. Today, it represents the sacrifice of those who served, the lives forever changed by war, and our enduring hope for peace.

In this painting, I have placed the poppy directly in front of the woman’s mouth. It creates a moment of stillness, almost as though she is holding her breath. The flower becomes the voice, while her eyes draw us into a quiet exchange with the past. There are no battle scenes, uniforms, or explicit references to war. Instead, the image asks us to stop and consider what it means to remember.

I am interested in the tension between the familiar and the unexpected. The red poppy is immediately recognizable, particularly in Canada in the weeks leading up to November 11, yet presenting it in this way shifts our attention. The bold colours, simplified forms, and contemporary pop-art sensibility bring a traditional symbol into the present. The result is a portrait that feels both personal and universal, inviting each viewer to bring their own memories, experiences, and understanding to the image.

The Symbols We Carry Forward

Much of my work explores Canadian identity through the icons, stories, and cultural touchstones that shape our understanding of this country. From hockey and the Hudson’s Bay blanket to the landscapes and wildlife that define our sense of place, I am continually drawn to the symbols that connect us to something larger than ourselves.

The red poppy belongs to that visual vocabulary. It is a small flower with an extraordinary weight of meaning, one that transcends generations and speaks to a shared history. Its presence in a painting can evoke remembrance even when the subject itself is contemporary.

For me, this painting is about more than a single day on the calendar. It is about the responsibility we carry to remember, the importance of passing these stories on, and the ways art can keep history present in our everyday lives.

On November 11, we pause for a moment of silence. In that silence, we remember the lives lost, acknowledge the sacrifices made, and reflect on the peace we must never take for granted.

Sometimes, a single red poppy is enough to say what words cannot.