Artist Needs Military Help With Remembrance Painting

An artist is asking the military community to help with her next painting by sending in their fingerprints.

With her experimental flair for art, Kirsty Chapman wanted to find a way to include the military community in her painting. 

She is looking for veterans and serving men and women from the armed forces make their mark and be a part of the unique creation. Kirsty said:

“I started thinking how can I make the poppies different and started using my fingerprints, which represent the individual mark that every soldier makes.”

Kirsty has been creating art since she was 12-years-old, and for the past few years has been creating paintings of remembrance and thanks for those who have given their lives in service.

The 38-year-old artist was inspired by the stories she heard from her grandmother who was a nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital working alongside Sir Archibald Mcindoe. He was a plastic surgeon who worked for the Royal Air Force during World War Two and greatly improved treatment for burns. 

On her paintings, the fingerprints are used to create a path of poppies along which two soldiers walk on. Cadets, serving members and veterans can send their fingerprints to Kirsty.

Using whatever colour paint people have, they will then be stuck on the painting with a number. The number will link to their name which Kirsty is collecting together in a book.

Kirsty has received interest about the paintings from all over the world, she said:

"It is becoming more than just a painting." 

To have your fingerprint included more information can be found here.