• Inspired by a toy truck from the artist's childhood.
• The familiar construction vehicle is intentionally aged and weathered, suggesting that memory rarely preserves objects in perfect condition.
• Rather than documenting a specific moment, the painting reflects on the way ordinary toys become vessels for family history and personal identity.

• Conversations around the work often turned toward childhood memories and the objects people could never bring themselves to throw away.
• One collector hoped to acquire the painting as a gift for his godson.
• The final collector connected with the same impulse, acquiring the work as a meaningful gift for someone close to him.

Tonka Wonka wasn't part of the original plan.

After an exhibition, Dave and I arranged for me to bring a selection of works to his home. Rather than choosing from photographs or a gallery wall, we spent the afternoon living with the paintings for a while, moving them through the space and seeing which ones felt right.

Tonka Wonka was one of those surprises. Among the works I brought, it quietly stood out and eventually found its place.

What made the decision even more meaningful was that the painting wasn't meant for his own collection. Dave chose it as a gift, allowing the work to begin its life by creating a connection between people.

I've learned that some paintings are collected, while others are given. Tonka Wonka belongs to the second kind, carrying with it the generosity of the person who chose it and the anticipation of the person who would eventually receive it.