Play Well

The series was sparked by a return to long-stored objects—Barbies with matted hair and Kens with fading features; a well-attired Mr. Potato Head; Little People with bite marks from little teeth. Reengaging with these artifacts offered a sense of grounding during a time when direction felt uncertain.

Each painting is based on original natural-light photography taken by the artist against hand-painted canvas backdrops to emphasize the artificial textures and bold forms of the mass-produced objects.

There is a deliberate duality in the work: playful in subject matter, yet guided by a perfectionist impulse toward faithful representation. While the paintings are grounded in realism—plastic shine, molded forms, and subtle imperfections are all rendered with care—brushstrokes and surface texture remain visible, reminding the viewer of the hand behind the work and the tension between control and expression.

The title, Play Well, is a nod to the original Danish phrase behind the name LEGO (“Leg godt”) and reflects both a familial link to the artist’s Danish heritage and the duality of the series itself: the impulse to find ease through creativity, and the reality of working functionally and within material constraints. As much as the process offered moments of comfort and flow, it was also shaped by the practical pressures of time, responsibility, and income—realities of the creative enterprise decades from the original play dates.

The work invites reflection on the ways in which we carry childhood forward—what we hold onto, what we reshape, and how those early imprints resurface in our adult lives. It is the result of a focused effort to create while feeling consumed.