In October 2021, to coincide with the Big Draw festival, and in the run up to Remembrance Day 2021, I worked with York Army Museum to facilitate ‘A Big Draw to Remember’. Within the Museum, alongside military memorabilia and human stories from service and war, we stretched out a 7 metre paper canvas upon the officers mess table and around an elaborate silver centre piece.
Over the week of 23rd to 30th October people were invited to come along and add poppies and doodles and statements to the piece. We provided a ‘how to guide to doodling a poppy’.
This included contributions from York Normandy Veterans, Sid and Ken, the relatives of John Cunningham VC, a great great grandson of Captain Oats, friends and families of loved ones that have served, those in active service from a variety of regiments and units, and even the Lord and Lady Mayor of York.
The result is a multiple of poppies, reflections and statements that honour the efforts of those that have, and do serve. Remembrance Day marks when World War One ended in 1918 and is an important event, not to glorify war, but to highlight the value of freedom and peace, and to acknowledge the sacrifices made by all those have taken steps to defend it for others.
A selection of contributions from the week have been framed and hung in the entrance to the museum.
