16 Apr SEA POPPY 1. (FISHING BOAT LETTERS AND NUMBERS). 1968.

Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1968
16 x 16cm, 2pp. Black on orange card – the front of the card has a circular design made up of fishing boat letters and numbers that allow unique identification of any particular vessel typographically set by Alistair Cant on Finlay’s instruction. The patter creates both a planet or the movement in the stars as they appear to spin around the boat as night passed. Stars for boats are essential to life – until modern methods of navigation they were the sailor’s only orientation.

The title Sea Poppy refers to the yellow hornpoppy which only grows on sea shores – again a clear nautical reference.

This design and others like it was used by Finlay in different formats including wall works, object multiples, printed posters and cards.