A traditional drawing transforms childhood toys into art with a vivid self-portrait crafted from the image of objects tied to memory and nostalgia. Senior studio art major Madison Summers drew “Toys and Trinkets” last spring for a Fundamentals of Drawing II assignment, which asked students to design a self-portrait using items that reflect their identity.
“I decided to do toys from my childhood and little trinkets that I have now,” Summers said. “I wanted to make it colorful just because everything is so much more colorful in your childhood.”
Among these is a handmade wooden purse gifted by her mom, a Myrtle Beach license plate from family trips and a kitten plush that has remained on her bookshelf since childhood.
“They make me the person that I am today,” Summers said. “This is really just a reflection of my entire life, from childhood to adulthood things, there’s just some things that never change.”
Summers began with a sketch, outlined with colored pencils, then layered more color to add brightness and depth. A black background sharpened the contrast before she sealed the work with a wax pencil. The piece took three weeks to complete.
During critiques, several pointed out familiar toys and objects, recalling memories of their own childhoods. Just as Summer had hoped, her classmates immediately connected with the piece.
“I like that it connects to other people, as well as kind of just reminding them of when they were a child and our toys were so important to us,” Summers said. “I just hope that people feel nostalgia when they see it.” Art has been part of Summers’ life for as long as she can remember. From elementary school into high school, she consistently chose art electives.
“Since I am an only child, I was by myself a lot as a kid, so I definitely developed an imagination that affected my art,” Summers said.
She has since built a foundation that has led her to pursue studio art at CCU, and she hopes to continue a career in the arts after graduation.
“I really want to have an art store, where I sell other people’s artwork and my own,” Summers said.
For now, Summers is considering submitting the piece to Lake City’s annual ArtFields competition, a regional showcase for Southern artists.
