Kirsty Chapman is an artist who creates military and remembrance-themed artwork. Based in West Sussex, the poppies within Kirsty’s artwork have been created by her own fingerprints.
This is the technique used for her most popular design to date, of two servicemen supporting each other and walking along a path of poppies. Kirsty says: “Each fingerprint represents the individual mark each serviceman, woman and veteran makes on history.”
Over the past two years, Kirsty has created a painting called Path to Peace. This was a new direction for Kirsty’s work – instead of using her own fingerprints, she has travelled far and wide collecting fingerprint poppies from serving personnel, along with veterans and military family members in memory of the fallen who have served our country.
Adding to the enormity of the task, Kirsty doesn’t drive, so she carried the large painting by hand via public transport to meet service personnel around the country.
“I had collected poppies from 167 individuals, from all branches of the military and all different age groups. One chap I will always remember is a 103-year-old Burma veteran from the Royal Engineers Chindits.
“There is also a book that accompanies the painting which each contributor has signed and written a message in. Each entry has a number which corresponds to the numbered poppies on the canvas,” Kirsty adds.
Kirsty has recently donated this poignant piece to the Chavasse clinic in Brighton which treats veterans and service personnel for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. It is run by Lt Col Benjamin Caesar and is one of only two such facilities in the country.
Kirsty said: “I hope that the painting can help inspire those receiving treatment and show them they are not alone.”
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Kirsty has just started work on her next piece, which she hopes to auction and donate the proceeds to a military charity. She is looking for people to get involved and is appealing for service personnel to add some poppies to the new painting.
She has set up a PO box address so that poppies can be stamped onto paper and posted to her, if you live too far away from West Sussex and are unable to meet Kirsty in person.
MORE INFORMATION
If you would like to contact Kirsty to discuss adding a fingerprint to her painting, email poppyartuk@gmail.com. Alternatively you can find more information at poppyartuk.co.uk or find Kirsty on X and Instagram @poppyartuk