Lest We Forget

Year: 2010
Medium: Mixed media with acrylics, marble powder, sand, fabric, and paper on canvas
Dimensions: 32 × 16 inches

Collector’s Notes

Painting Information

Lest We Forget is a vertically oriented mixed-media work that reads like a layered remembrance—both literal and symbolic. Its narrow format draws the eye upward through textured terrain, from the grounded weight of the foreground to the distant, atmospheric horizon, creating a contemplative ascent through memory and history.

Visual Language

The lower portion of the composition is dominated by a dense field of poppies, rendered in rich, fragmented reds with green undertones emerging between the layers. Above, the surface transitions into weathered sepia tones, muted blues, and soft greys. These subdued hues evoke archival imagery—echoes of another time—where faint silhouettes of a lighthouse and distant warships emerge, almost as if recalled rather than seen.

Material & Texture

The work’s physical depth is integral to its meaning. Marble powder, sand, fabric, and paper create a rugged, uneven surface that mirrors the weight of sacrifice and endurance. The poppies are built through deliberate layering and fragmentation, their tactile presence reinforcing remembrance not as abstraction, but as something earned, carried, and felt.

Symbolism & Meaning

The poppy field anchors the painting as a universal symbol of remembrance, honouring both those who lost their lives and those who returned bearing visible and invisible wounds. The distant ships and lighthouse serve as quiet markers of vigilance and guidance—suggesting protection, watchfulness, and the unseen labour of those who stand guard so others may live in peace.

Emotional Tone

Rather than dramatizing conflict, Lest We Forget holds a solemn, reflective stillness. There is gratitude here, but also humility. The painting invites pause rather than spectacle, asking the viewer to acknowledge freedom not as an abstraction, but as a condition sustained by sacrifice.

Context & Significance

Created in 2010, this work speaks across time with undiminished relevance. In an era where conflict often feels distant or mediated through screens, Lest We Forget restores proximity to remembrance. For collectors, the piece carries both historical weight and enduring moral clarity—a work that honours service, resilience, and the shared responsibility of preserving peace.

Message from the Artist

I created Lest We Forget to honour our soldiers—those who sacrificed their lives, and those who returned changed in ways we may never fully see or understand.

For many of us living in peaceful countries, war can feel remote, something we witness from a distance. Yet the freedoms we enjoy every day—the ability to live safely, to choose, to gather, to believe—exist because of the courage and selflessness of others.

The muted tones of the background reflect stories of the past, while the poppies in the foreground are a reminder that remembrance must remain alive and present. This painting is my way of expressing gratitude, respect, and humility toward those who have endured hardship in service of our homeland.

May we never take their sacrifice for granted—and may we always remember.

When you purchase a Sacred Heartwork, you receive:

✦ The original artwork, signed and sealed with intention

✦ A Certificate of Authenticity

✦ A handwritten note from Rashmi

✦ The story behind the work — its inspiration, symbolism, and message

✦ Premium shipping & packaging

✦ Complimentary digital mock-up of the art hanging in your space

✦ Optional framing & hanging kit