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Canberra Today 15°/17° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Remembering ‘poppy fields’ through glass

Glass artist Kirstie Rea.

CANBERRA glass artist Kirstie Rea has created a limited-edition series of glass artworks to commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11.

“Field of Poppies” was commissioned from Rea by Canberra Glassworks.

Each is made from layers of glass containing specks of red glass scattered throughout to symbolise both tombstones and poppies.

At the base of the handheld piece is a small section which can be hand-engraved with a personalised message of remembrance, for example the name of a loved one or an important date.

Rea won the 2019 Klaus Moje Glass Award at the Glassworks and is also the 2020 designer-in-residence for the Design Canberra festival.

She was inspired by her grandfather’s experience in World War I and by childhood memories of watching televised images of families visiting cemeteries full of white marble tombstones, where their fathers and grandfathers fought at Gallipoli and on the Western Front.

‘Field of Poppies’ glass artwork.

Each “Field of Poppies” is individually created and numbered, and comes with a personally signed card wrapped together in a small section of a grey blanket from World War II, nestled in a presentation box.

“I found an old blanket in my studio with the original tag still on it and realised it was from the 1940s. I thought it would add an authentic touch to the artwork, so I cut it up into small sections; every piece comes with its own piece of history,” Rea says.

“With this object you can hold it in the palm of your hand, have a sense of touch and hold it close to your heart.”

“Field of Poppies”, $240, pre-order here

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Helen Musa

Helen Musa

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