io

I believe that adults do not play enough, and my work exists to challenge that status quo. My most recent volume of the “lil guys” explicitly explores the concept of “play” and stresses the need for adults to nurture a sense of whimsy. Children play to deepen their self-awareness, understand their surroundings, and cultivate meaningful interpersonal relationships. In short, children play as a means of self-actualization. Why then, do most adults grow to neglect play?

Surely this journey of self-actualization doesn’t end in childhood. Playing as an adult requires humility and resilience. You must be unafraid to laugh at yourself when you don't succeed, and unapologetic when you try again—without fear of judgment.

Through acrylic pastel paintings and illustrated representational characters of lil guys, I aim to spark the question to all viewers, "Why don't I play more?" The lil guys are genderless, ageless, human-like beings. They are made to be projected onto by anyone. They are made to be the vessel by which these questions about self can be asked. They are made to be dynamic mirrors, with a dash of eccentricity.