Dreaming of Dinosaurs: How an Abstract Painting Became a Shared Memory
AN ABSTRACT PAINTING WITH SO MUCH LOVE
Dreaming of Dinosaurs is a playful abstract painting made with an overwhelming amount of love. One of the most meaningful artworks I created in 2019, this dinosaur-filled acrylic piece was made specifically for my son's birthday celebration. Anyone who knows him knows his deep love for dinosaurs, so when it came time to choose a birthday theme, there was never any doubt. I kept coming back to them, again and again.
First layers on the Dreaming of Dinosaurs Painting
By this time, my little one was socializing more, and I’ll admit—there was a bit of mom guilt for not properly celebrating his previous birthday. So the planning for a bigger celebration began. I toured the space we chose for his party and loved how easy they made it: décor, tables, chairs, silverware, and food were all included. All I needed to bring was the cake and a few extra treats. While walking through the room, I noticed one thing missing—a blank wall. Every other area was already claimed by food, cake, or gifts. That empty wall was the moment it clicked. He needed a photo wall. Only in this day and age do you plan a birthday with “the gram” in mind. I knew I wanted to create something for the party, but I also knew it had to serve more than one purpose.
STILL CHASING MINIMALIST LIFE
I didn’t want an over-the-top backdrop or something that would end up discarded once the party was over. I’m still very much trying to live a minimalist lifestyle, especially when it comes to objects brought into our home. If I were going to make something for his birthday, it needed to have a life beyond one afternoon. That’s when the idea of an abstract painting came in. It could function as a photo wall for the party, but also live on afterward as a piece of art in our home. Most importantly, I wanted it to be something my son could be part of. By keeping it abstract, I left space for him to interact with it, add his own marks, and make it ours—messy, imperfect, and full of memory.
He added his part and admiring his painting
OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE
Letting go of control doesn’t come naturally to me, especially when it comes to my work. I’m used to planning every layer, every mark, every decision. Inviting my son into the process meant accepting unpredictability—paint where I didn’t intend it, gestures I couldn’t correct, moments I had to simply let be. It pushed me out of my comfort zone as both an artist and a mother. But that discomfort is exactly what made the piece meaningful. His small marks carry a kind of honesty I couldn’t fabricate, and once they were there, the painting stopped being just mine. It became a shared experience, a collaboration rooted in trust, presence, and letting go.
