Artist Description
Artist Notes:
"I love objects and collecting, and as an artist, it is inevitable that my collections find their way into my paintings. Looking at or owning toys from my childhood transports me to a happy and creative place of fantasy and play. It’s a place of unending dialog that is only inhibited by my imagination.
Storytelling is a growing interest in my paintings, and the portrayal of play and toys falls easily into this genre. This, coupled with my strong belief that humanity needs to laugh and play in order to live a healthy and happy life, enables me to embrace the painting of toys. As a child I collected Smurfs: I had not seen the comic books but I remember the excitement of purchasing a new piece to add to my collection. Smurfs were sold at BP stations in South Africa in the late ’70s - but I have no recollection of where I purchased mine.
I first painted a Smurf in 2005 and have returned to painting them from time to time, and many of these paintings have been purchased by people of my age (in their 50s) who had childhood memories of these peculiar creatures."
Keywords: Smurf, vintage toy, nostalgia, childhood
