The Lost Childhood Object project was a great way to make connections with people in our class. My assigned partner and I barely knew each other, other than seeing one another around campus. After sharing many different stories and childhood memories, we found many similarities and solidarity in those memories. The connections while describing our chosen childhood objects projected into a flood of memories coming from both sides.
Another significant aspect of this project was to have the ability to get in touch with our inner child. Thoughts of silliness and immaturity ran through my head when I gathered and connected bits of cardboard together. The act of assembling each piece of cardboard was tedious and my adult mind felt fatigued and non-productive (as I was creating something that would not be considered art in the art world perimeters). I felt as though I was recycling waste and transforming it into more waste. When I became conscious of these feelings, I immediately retrained my brain to recall creating objects as a kid: how I would feel, see, hear, and or touch. Also, I had to keep in mind that recreating someone's memory was a precious, vulnerable thing to recreate. So by tearing apart the constructs of "adulting" I was able to find joy. There is something beautiful in creating a person's memory from your own constructions and life experiences.
My partner revealed a beautiful version of my cardboard plates, which I would craft as a child. It felt surreal that a person that I barely knew recreated something so personal. When it came time to reveal the project, I was nervous about how my partner and the class would perceive my rendition of her stuffed dog justice. However, that anxiety subsided when I remembered my inner child's feelings and my connection with the piece I had made. I was able to describe and personally connect with the object I had created, which in turn allowed for a better description. I was also feeling confident and proud of a seemingly childish item, which I once thought to be unproductive. Putting aside the limitations we put on ourselves will allow for my fruitful outcomes.
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