Noelle Berexa

My work explores the idea of souvenirs, objects that hold memories, and the nostalgia of toys. Employing photorealistic detail and trompe l’oeil elements, I aim to capture the individual character in the mass-produced objects of toys. Painting these modern objects of little monetary value in the traditional material of oil paint mirrors the elevation of an everyday item to priceless treasure when they hold sentimental meaning. Using toys gifted to me from childhood into adulthood, each still life arrangement holds my memories with the toy, like when my loved one gave it to me, and my time with them.

My paintings stem from feelings of nostalgia and a deeper fear of forgetting my own past as I age and while time moves faster away from me. I want to freeze the moment in time, preserving my mementos as well as the kitschy plastic and plush toys produced today.

Toys are inherently nostalgic from their association to childhood. Painting them reconnects me to that sense of childlike joy and whimsy. Their worn-out fur and split seams become evidence of our love, showing they age alongside us.