Wooden Toys

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that” (Galatians 6:4-5). To understand this verse and myself a little better, I reflected on my past to see what I have been good at and what I have loved to do. One of the earliest memories I can trace of embracing creativity comes from a hot summer day with my brother. In our garage, my dad left dozens of wooden pegs from a construction site in a purple bucket. My brother and I took markers and doodled faces onto what we imagined as canvases for new toys. We did not have much growing up, but I learned to make the most of what we did have. Wooden Toys is a series of handmade figures inspired by this childhood memory. The toys maintain a cylindrical shape approximately 3’ x 3’ x 4’ each. The wood is unfinished hand carved, adorned with button eyes, wire hair, and balloon shoes. These simple materials culminate to explore the creativity of my childhood that still inspires me today.