Imaginary Friend

Using my vintage tempera-on-newsprint Kindergarten paintings – yes, I still have them! – I apply a cropped portion to a firm support and let a story appear.

I then cut out gestural figures from print media and – generally –  reverse  them to see what surprises I find and how they play with each painting’s colors and lines. I look for an intriguing match.

In this series of smaller 6″ x 6″ works, simplicity counts, so each features a single cut-out figure or group interacting within the intimate space.

So many kids have an Imaginary Friend! They might be entirely made up (like my brother’s was) or perhaps they’re a character from a book, a film, a cartoon, a comic, or even a real person. The point is they’re a larger than life entity who knows you and loves you back, even takes the blame if you them need to. This image was likely an angel. I enjoy the retro feel of the (unreversed!) kid with skates whose shape melds with the arc of dark hair, but definitely speaks to the contrast between real and imagined. The drip and that stocking cap echoing each other is a nice touch, too.

• Artist’s vintage Kindergarten painting
• Print media image
• 6″ x 6″
• One of a kind, of course
• Ready to hang
• Free shipping