Washington, DC artist Joan Belmar who grew up in Chile, produces symbolic paintings and drawings that can clearly be traced to his childhood. Here are two of his recent paintings Volver (to turn back in time) and Spinning Web.

I asked Joan to talk about the symbolism of using objects such as toys, tops, and bicycles in his work:

There is an unclear moment in all our lives when we turn away from the things of childhood and we dispatch the wooden horse for example, to a dusty corner in the attic. Not only does the object become totally neglected but sometimes too do the dreams that the object inspired.

In my most recent work I use images in black silhouette of objects that were part of our past and that no longer exist in the same form in our modern lives. Images of these objects or the actual object itself are a link to our more naive sense of self. As an artist, these memories are important because they evoke innocence and curiosity – two valuable perspectives that inform my art.

See more of Joan Belmar’s art at www.joanbelmar.com