Ashely Peifer

Region: MFA Annual

My paintings feature bright candy colors, personal memories, and a delight in material exploration. The paintings are somewhat mischievous and rambling, like the diary of a preteen, and I view them individually as memory objects. They exist as a momentary autobiographical marker in space–time, each casting a spell to transmute a mental reality into physical form. My imagery is culled from fun pop culture of the ’90s, yet is abstracted and layered. I use puffy paint, glitter, and jarring Lisa Frank colors to playfully reference childhood and adolescent interests. The shapes reference toys, music, and television, specifically things like the Mario Brothers, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Laffy Taffy, or Saved By the Bell. The pieces tread the line between what is real and what is nostalgic. I am fascinated by nostalgia’s capacity to over-beautify, embellish, or even transfigure a memory.