Baby, Pink Smear and a Rhino

7" x 7"

Vintage paper and photos from the early 1900's

Title: Baby, Pink Smear

This touching mixed-media collage focuses on the innocence of an early 20th-century baby portrait while engaging it in a contemporary dialogue. The central oval-framed photograph of the infant in a formal white gown is sourced from an antique cabinet card.

The historical image is dramatically interrupted by bold, expressive strokes of magenta and yellow acrylic paint applied to the top and bottom of the portrait, while a delicate, multicolored line redacts the eyes. This intervention raises poignant questions about memory, the fragile nature of preservation, and the imposition of the present onto the past. The composition is subtly framed by layered text and features a small, white plastic flamingo—a found object that introduces a whimsical, surreal element to the piece.

This work is an excellent choice for collectors interested in the deconstruction of historical portraiture and the intersection of nostalgia and abstract expressionism.

• Medium: Mixed-Media Collage (Antique Photograph, Acrylic Paint, Found Object, Ephemera)

• Themes: Innocence, Memory Intervention, Surrealism

• Key Visuals: Oval-Framed Baby Portrait, Magenta/Yellow Paint, Plastic Flamingo