Artist Statement by Phoebe Nichols

In this painting, I sought to combine ideas that I had been pursuing throughout the semester: in-betweenness, nostalgia, memory, and the suburban experience, illustrated through painted figures in an imagined space. This painting explores the dream- or memory-like associations formed by aggregates of meaningful or familiar objects and symbols. I have created a make-believe, collaged room in a suburban home, one that is intended to appear simultaneously familiar and a little bit off. This room contains objects and images that have high levels of personal significance. In the center a friend and I play cards. I wanted this painting to appear to have a narrative but not be easily resolved. While there are areas I would continue to develop, I’ve never painted anything so big or complicated, and I learned a lot in creating it.