Artist Statement
Train of Memory
In my illustrated series, I showcase the topic of embracing your inner child. As you grow up, becoming an adult becomes a major focus to many of us. We tend to discard things that we deem are “for children|” or that we’re “too grown up” for. Being an “adult” is something most of us are still figuring out and sometimes, we are so caught up in our life thinking of the future that we tend to forget about our past. Do you remember what it was like to be a kid? That is the question my illustrated series tries to answer. When you find an object or toy linked to your past, you are suddenly reminded of the good times and carefree days of being young. As a kid, I was obsessed with trains. During the pandemic, I found most of my old toys and was reminded that some days you want to experience being a kid again. For me, that means using your imagination and playing with such toys. I find contentment in these simple things instead of constantly being hung up on every aspect of life that is stressful.
I chose to illustrate this series with a mixed-media approach. I created a series of vignettes that combines inks, markers, crayons, and pencil crayons inspired by the children’s books I read as a kid. Using colours that are specific to being a young child like blues, reds, yellows, and using neutral greys to represent the weight of responsibility one can feel like an adult. Once given a glimpse of one’s past, the colour seeps into your adulthood, reminding you that being a child helped bring you to where you are right now. That story of a little blue train impacted my life so much that it inspired me to become an illustrator. Childhood memories play a significant role in who you grow up to be – becoming an adult doesn’t always mean letting go of the past but embracing it. It is important to grow together with your inner child, rather than grow apart. Bring the colour back into your life by living a day in your younger self’s eyes. Don’t stop playing because you grow old – you grow old and forget because you stop playing.