Oya brooches represent the best of both worlds, combining the brooch’s innate versatility with the dazzling form and breathtaking craftsmanship of Oya artistry. But perhaps the most intriguing part of any Oya brooch is its intrinsic ability to capture eye-catching subject matter in a way that few other art forms can. Case in point: the tulip poppy.
 
Tulip poppies, also known as the Turkish tulip or Turkish red poppy, are native to the fields of Anatolia. Their bold red color and distinctive black center have made these flowers a favorite subject matter for poets, painters, and Oya artisans for centuries. Like many poppies, Turkish tulips are seen as symbols of sleep, dreams, imagination, and luxury, thanks primarily to the fact that poppies naturally produce alkaloids such as morphine and codeine. However, Turkish tulips are not among the small number of poppy species that can be harvested for these chemicals, which is why they have been cultivated primarily for their pleasing forms.
 
But the innate beauty of tulip poppies also masks a surprising superpower – the ability to regenerate soil that has been depleted by aggressive agricultural practices. When a plot of land has been sapped of its nutrients, farmers throughout the world will often plant poppies to help renew the soil and regenerate the ecosystem. Most poppies are deceptively hardy, and the Turkish red poppy is no exception. Capable of withstanding virtually all climates and enduring all but the most severe droughts, the tulip poppy has long been synonymous with nature’s promise of regeneration and renewal. This is one of the reasons why the ancient Greeks associated poppies with Persephone, the goddess of spring growth.
 
The powerful symbol of the poppy can be difficult to effectively capture in a conventional brooch. The ephemeral, delicate blossoms surrounding their distinctive black center cannot be replicated using metal, plastic, or precious gems, yet Oya craftswomen have managed to duplicate the gorgeous features of the tulip poppy in a breathtakingly detailed homage to one of nature’s more enduring promises – the promise that the cold, dark days of winter will always be swept away by the warmth and renewal of spring.