(2021)

I don't think y'all know what kind of emotions I've gone through while making this piece. For starters, Thomas the Tank Engine has always had a place in my heart. I mean, steam locomotives in general have always had my fancy, and Thomas is no exception. I know some see him as kinda meme-y nowadays (heck, my favorite meme is the "Thomas had never seen such BS before" because I'm always reading it in Ringo Starr's voice, lol), but it's one of those things I have a lot of unironic fondness for.

However, I didn't necessarily make this piece for my own nostalgia. My grandma really wanted to commission me to do a Thomas piece for her great-grandsons. Obviously, she had seen me from my early days of when I'd watch old VHS copies of the early episodes and catch Shining Time Station on PBS, and of course I was bonkers for the toys (particularly the old ERTL die-cast metal toys). It tickled her pink to see me so passionate about it. Even more in recent years, since the boys are the exact same way.

But things went sour in 2020, of course...and she died that November before she got the chance to commission me. Her death has been really hard on me. Still is. But making this piece brought myself a bit of closure. When we managed to have a small memorial service (in September of '21), I gave the boys this painting, and they really liked it, especially knowing it was as much a gift from her as it was from me. This is something we both wanted them to have, and I know she would be thrilled to see those boys' excitement as much as she would seeing more of my art.

5x7 panel canvas; acrylics