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ARTIST STATEMENT

My practice explores the emotional complexities of childhood, creating a sense of nostalgia and longing for a time that has passed, which are connected to innocence, purity, and warmth. Through depicting my positive childhood memories, I reflect on the idea of time, evoking both warmth and a sense of distance from a past which cannot be visited. Through engaging with these themes, my work encourages viewers to connect with their memories and experiences of childhood.

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l incorporate materials and processes that reference the expressive nature of childhood creativity. Through using mediums and processes such as oil pastels and paper with spontaneous gestured marks my work directly references childhood. The crayon-like texture from oil pastels captures the freedom of playfulness during childhood with mark making allowing me to transform my personal memories into artwork.

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Through my practice, I aim to create a space for reflection whereby viewers can confront their childhood memories, whether positive, tragic, or complex. My work reflects how childhood is the foundation of future life to be lived and this unified experience from this common place of youth regardless of our differences we all have this commonality.

WHAT'S THE CONCEPT

BATHTIME FRAMED (close up)

My artwork is a tribute to the fleeting, vivid world of childhood—a time where memories are soft and luminous, yet intensely powerful. Drawing on personal experiences, I explore the spaces, faces, and sensations that define those formative years, aiming to create a universal atmosphere that transports viewers back to a time of innocence, wonder, and unfiltered curiosity. Each piece is crafted with a deep appreciation for the textures and motifs that feel intrinsically linked to childhood. Patterns, like those that might adorn the walls of a child’s bedroom or a favorite piece of clothing, are woven into my work, evoking the comfort of familiarity. My installations extend this exploration further, creating tangible environments that feel both intimate and nostalgic—spaces that invite viewers to engage with the physicality and playfulness of childhood. 

ALICE ALDERMAN
ACRYLIC ON PLASTIC STRETCHED ON CANVAS WITH PLASTER
2024

The choice of mediums plays a vital role in building this sensory landscape. I favor materials that inherently feel connected to a childlike perspective—oil pastels, for example, with their bright, smudgy textures, mimic the innocence and immediacy of a crayon drawing. This link to childhood materials is intentional, bridging the distance between the adult and child gaze, and encouraging viewers to look through a lens of simplicity and emotional honesty. Through recurring motifs and themes, my work speaks to the small, often-overlooked details that make up our earliest memories: the feel of certain textures, the shapes of cherished toys, and the colors that linger in our minds long after we grow up. By blending these elements, my work seeks to evoke a collective nostalgia, prompting viewers to reconnect with their own pasts while reflecting on the beauty of a time when everything seemed possible. Ultimately, my art is an invitation to remember, to feel, and to reimagine. It’s a visual and emotional journey back to the core of who we were as children, an exploration of the enduring impact of those early years on our identities, and a celebration of the simple magic that shapes us all.

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