Tales from the Cedar Chest

Ashley Tuchscherer
Tales from the Cedar Chest
June 17 - September 5, 2011

Opening Reception
June 17, 8 pm -11 pm
Free event, Cash bar

Artist Statement ...

Locked away from all human interaction lay our once beloved but now tattered and dejected childhood playthings. These melancholic objects reside in storage rooms, attics, closets, toy boxes, and other enclosed spaces.

In Ashley Tuchscherer’s new series of paintings she attempts to bring life back to these forgotten oddities that are hidden away – in her case, these curious creatures rest haphazardly in her 200 year old antique chest, her newest muse and a reoccurring motif in her work, which was passed down to her by her Grandmother. These objects become a metaphor for the way we separate ourselves from our childhood with a combination of satisfaction and regret.

These personified toys are depicted in familiar surroundings, although they are all are clearly altered to a dreamlike, imaginative state. Narratives are created, but are left open ended, leaving the viewer in control of their outcome, and are encouraged to draw on their personal experiences and recollections to complete the story.

There is a push/pull aspect to these spaces – impressions of confinement and safety, mixed with images of freedom, escape and risk. These pieces are an extension of Tuchscherer’s current identity: Feelings of transitioning into adulthood, taking chances on the verge of establishing herself as a professional adult, but still with feelings of longing and nostalgia back to a time when we felt grounded and safe. These works illustrate this interim state, and these childhood objects become a stand in for herself.

Image and promotional design: Ashley Tuchscherer