Derrick Hickman

Promises 48" x 36" Acrylic on Wood Panel $1800	Lost 24" x 24" Acrylic on Wood Panel $450
Whole Family 48" x 48" Acrylic on wood panel $1500	Sunshine State 48" x 48" Acrylic on wood panel $1800
Sears & Roebuck 40" x 48" Mixed media on mounted paper $1500	Runt 48" x 24" Acrylic on wood panel Sold

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I have chosen the familiar images of toys as a vehicle to explore self doubt and the idea of what is normal. Particularly through the scope of popular media, merchandising and signage. They are one of our earliest introductions to commercialized happiness and our self comparisons. My intent is to draw the viewer in to the work through the representation of iconic playthings that cue nostalgic reflection, whether real or perceived. These images are often juxtaposed against distressed textures, personal narrative and the promise of advertisement text. 

My recent work builds upon the theme of myth vs. memory which has been the focus of past paintings and sculptures.  I have used the process of story telling to introduce the viewer my own memory and its conflict with self perpetuated folklore, as it is related to my development as an artist.

In these paintings, I have literally projected text on to the canvas in an enlarged diary form.  These snippets of personal narrative have been abstracted through color patterns and text distortion.  Despite the scale, visibility and appeal of color, the abstractions are meant to obstruct.  It gets between the audience and the story much like the way romanticism; ego and drama tend to taint our recollections.