California Coastal Series
California Poppies
Standing at the base of the wall, I was able to photograph them from below, capturing the sunlight filtering through the petals against a brilliant blue California sky. For my interpretation, I made the sky much more dramatic to emphasize the contrast between the vibrant orange blossoms and the deep blue above.
The Inspiration
Artwork Details
Technique: Thread Painting
Dimensions: 24" wide x 20" high
Collection: California Coastal Series
Availability: Framed Original
I discovered these determined California poppies while photographing the coastline near Avila Beach, California. They were growing wild over the top of a retaining wall beside the road, spilling toward the sunlight despite the unlikely location.
Creating a thread painting begins long before the first stitch. Every fabric is carefully chosen for its color and texture.
For the poppies, I searched my fabric stash for just the right shades of yellow and orange. I found several perfect fabrics, but there was one problem: They were printed with music notes!
Rather than reject them, I turned the fabrics over and used the back instead. The reversed print became subtle enough to disappear into the flower while still providing exactly the color I wanted.
If you look closely at the upper flower in the close-up image, you can still spot the faint, reversed music notes hidden beneath the stitches—a little secret tucked into the artwork.
Choosing the Fabric
Watch the Story Behind California Poppies
Want to see how this piece came together? In this short video I share the original photographs, a few work-in-progress images, and explain how the artwork evolved from an ordinary roadside scene into one of my signature thread paintings.
California Poppies became one of my signature thread paintings and was on display the year I received the Best Fiber Artist award at the Laguna Beach Art-A-Fair. I even remodeled my kitchen based on the colors in this piece.