The Parade

A boy and his toys. A walk in the woods. The path less taken. All of those come together in this magical, imaginative painting featuring a young boy, pulling his wagon with his teddy bear in it, followed by all of his favorite toys as they form a parade into the forest. This is one of the more detailed paintings I've done and the original thought for this one goes back to a Magritte painting called, "Illustrated youth" in which a row of objects appear on a path. I always liked that painting and decided to give it my own spin, so I decided to create a painting of a boy on a path into a wooded forest, leading a parade of his favorite toys - which are a blend of toys from my youth along with Buzz and Woody who were two favorites of my boys when they were growing up. Having another path that they could have taken adds more story appeal and a bit of mystery to the visual. These intricate elements create a playful contrast between nature and imagination. As viewers take in the rich details and whimsical theme, they might ponder the adventures awaiting on each path.