Let’s Play Pretend!

My body of work indulges in euphoric, nostalgic, and bittersweet feelings. In this collection, Let’s Play Pretend!, I have created a series of watercolor paintings that depict nostalgic scenes. These paintings feature objects from the late 1990s and early 2000s, rendered in highly saturated colors to evoke a childlike perspective. I ask, “Why is this familiarity so important? Why does nostalgia create an immense longing for the past?” Memories move me: the sound of a Mourning Dove, the taste of Lunchables, the sight and smell of a colorful McDonald’s play place, and the touch of a plastic Barbie doll playhouse are all engraved in my mind. Nostalgia is bittersweet, where joy and sadness exist simultaneously. We can relive—through memory—how happy we may have felt, but it stings to know that we cannot return to past moments. 

The need to curate a series like this comes from my childhood experience. I had a distinct childhood and lived a more nomadic lifestyle, so I no longer have my notable childhood artifacts. Reaching adulthood has made me realize how much these belongings have shaped who I am today, and how much I yearn to have them again. Through this work, I can rebuild these memories and create a new world for myself—one that radiates comfort and joy. Nostalgia, as I define it for myself, is my personal longing to create these new memories for myself and serves as the action in which I intend to create these pieces. This work honors parts of my childhood, and I hope it serves as an entry point for others to engage in dialogue about memory.