"Poison Garden" Framed Acrylic + Gold Leaf Painting 24x24

Bring the magic of nature's most captivating creatures to your walls with this dreamy painting that features the Madagascar Rainbow Locust surrounded by swirling red poppies and a gold leaf halo. Rich jewel tones and shimmery texture beckon the viewer toward wonder, while the symbols ask us to explore the conditions and solutions for a world where poppy fields and gold lie at the center of so much senseless bloodshed and addiction.

The golden halo and dreamy movement of the flowers suggests and hopes that there might be redemption for this world where humans turn poppy fields into epidemics of violence and addiction. In the United States alone in 2020, 69,710 people died from opiate overdose and many thousands more died on a global scale. Opium production has risen dramatically since the beginning of the 20 year war that we collectively must reckon with. About 241,000 people have been killed in the Afghanistan and Pakistan war zone since 2001. More than 71,000 of those killed have been civilians, including the 3 adults and 7 children most recently killed in a US drone strike. The horrifying problem is devastating and complex, and will require creative solutions.   

Details: Original acrylic and gold leaf painting on 24 x 24 inch canvas + gilded wood frame.

Free shipping within the US. If you are outside the US, please email a request with your location and we will provide you a shipping quote.

Symbology: While beautiful and captivating, what is often most colorful in nature is also most poisonous. This painting asks a series of questions: Can we let poppies be poppies? How does a simple, lovely flower become a destructive plague? What can we do today to help?

Please note: Colors vary from screen to screen and are represented as accurately as possible. The metallic and iridescent paints and glossy, protective varnish create interesting, shimmering effects depending on the angle of the viewer.

*This piece is currently on display at Locust Cider for Olympia Arts Month. Stop by sometime in October to view it in person! If you'd like to purchase it, I'll deliver it at the end of the month.  

A portion of sale will be donated to Afghans in need and opioid addiction centers.