looking at poppies

- why poppies?
- because they are red. (…) well, mostly red.
- but you draw women, mostly women?
- there is a lot of red in a woman
- red! as in… lips?
- red as in passion, hate, jealousy, …
- you mean women have a lot of negative feelings?
- no, they have a lot of red
- red being good, then?
- not necessarily
- from the way you talk you seem to understand women well.
- i wish... but they are red. mostly red, don’t you think?
- the women are red?
- no, the poppies. colors are tricky…
- and you reduce women to poppies, isn’t that a little too much?
- i do not. i simple brought them a little closer together.
- by using red?
- by painting them women.
- but minimal. do you think most women would like to be depicted the way you do?
- you mean in red? just kidding! not sure… some say they do. but i don’t do portraits anyway.
- what do you think women see in your drawings?
- themselves. at least that’s often the aim.
- aren’t you being over-economical with your modesty?
- they don’t see themselves because the drawing is good..
- that’s for sure.
- la giaconda is probably the most popular representation of a woman…
- so now you compare yourself with the great masters.
- not really… just saying that in spite of the quality of the painting, i guess not many women see themselves at the mirror when they look at it.
- so what do you think they see when they look at your …
- poppies.
- poppies?
- yes, poppies.
- they see poppies?
- no, they see red.