Why i paint so many toddlers

If you have ever taken a look at my artwork, you might have noticed a recurring theme: toddlers with ice cream or food. At first glance, it probably seems like a playful, fun way to capture the innocence and joy of childhood. And you are right it is fun! But there is a bit more going on behind those sweet little faces and dripping ice cream cones. I love using these lighthearted, almost whimsical subjects to dive into some deeper ideas about life a kind of like mixing joy with a little bit of complexity.

I paint these toddlers to remind us of how fleeting joy can be. Think about how quickly a toddlers smile can turn into a tantrum, or how an ice cream cone can melt into a sticky mess. Childhood might feel like this perfect, untouchable time, but even then, there is the inevitable ebb and flow between happy moments and the not-so-happy ones. It’s like we are all trying to hold onto that carefree, untroubled feeling, but deep down we know that everything changes. It’s kind of bittersweet, don’t you think?

Food is another thing I often use in my paintings because it has such a strong connection to both comfort and excess. Toddlers love food, right? But they also tend to make a huge mess when eating it. There is something about that messiness that mirrors how we experience life, sometimes things get out of control.

Ultimately, I want my work to be an invitation to think about life’s contrasts. Yes, my paintings are about innocence and sweetness because who doesn’t love the pure joy of a toddler with an ice cream cone? But they are also about the complexity of life and how we all deal with the mix of joy, sorrow, simplicity, and messiness that comes with being human.

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