Eileen Travis
The Poppy Field
2021
Installation generously supported by Carol Hopkins and Chris Cannon
3,600 crochet yarn poppies
20’ x 40’
The Poppy Field by artist Eileen Travis was inspired by Flanders Field in Waregem, Belgium, where poppies were the only plant to flourish in the decimated and battle scarred landscape, after World War I.
Eileen Travis explains: "Poppies have long been a symbol of Remembrance and Hope since World War I. Revitalizing the poppy as a symbol of remembrance and hope felt an appropriate and timely tribute to the intense and far reaching impact of this last year."
The Poppy Field was previously part of the 2022 Biennial: Passages, an outdoor arts experience from the Jamestown Arts Center (JAC) fromJuly - October 2022. On November 10, it moved from the Historic Windmill in Jamestown to Fort Adams in Newport, where it will be on view through November 15, 2022.
Special thanks to RI DEM Parks and Recreation and THE Fort Adams Trust, and to Molly Dickinson for her creative vision.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Eileen Travis is a large scale crochet artist who loves to create work inspired by nature in yarn. At a young age, she was lucky to have both grandmothers teach her how to crochet, which nourished a lifelong love of fiber arts. Eileen is an avid gardener and licensed Landscape Architect, based in Poughkeepsie NY.
Eileen’s art is inspired by the beauty of the natural environment around us. So it was logical that any artwork that she creates reflects both of these passions. Eileen likes to create things that are interactive, bring joy and inspiration.
Eileen Travis graduated with a Bachelor's of Landscape Architecture from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry School (SUNY ESF) in Syracuse NY.
About the POPPY FIELD, 2022 BIENNIAL INSTALLATION AT THE HISTORIC WINDMILL:
July - October, 2022
Yarn bombing is traditionally installed on a wall or fence or an object like a tree. This crochet piece is truly unique by using the ground plane as the place of installation. The thought of creating a yarn bombing piece that would be displayed on the ground was a revelation. Thus, the idea of The Poppy Field was born. The struggles of the past year served as inspiration to find a way to remember and honor the sacrifices and losses of so many people, while trying to seek out a form which may create hope for the future.
This work was inspired by Flanders Field (in Belgium) where poppies were the only plant to flourish in the decimated and battle scarred landscape, after World War I. Many poems have been written in remembrance with the most famous one by John McRae, a Canadian Soldier, titled ‘In Flanders Field”.
Poppies have long been a symbol of Remembrance and Hope since World War I. Revitalizing the poppy as a symbol of remembrance and hope felt an appropriate and timely tribute to the intense and far reaching impact of this last year.