The Toy Shop

Copied Patricia Nix, The Toy Shop, 1981, wood, paper, glass, and metal, open: 11 7810 383 18 in. (30.126.27.9 cm) closed: 11 785 783 18 in. (30.114.97.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Noret, 1981.144

Artwork Details

Title
The Toy Shop
Artist
Date
1981
Dimensions
open: 11 7810 383 18 in. (30.126.27.9 cm) closed: 11 785 783 18 in. (30.114.97.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Noret
Mediums Description
wood, paper, glass, and metal
Classifications
Keywords
  • Abstract
  • Object — toy
  • Architecture Exterior — commercial — store
Object Number
1981.144

Artwork Description

The Toy Shop is typical of the painted box constructions that Patricia Nix has made since 1972. The small scale of the work evokes memories of a child’s dollhouse. Moreover, The Toy Shop, constructed from discarded materials, is composed from actual toys and objects that carry the memory of their former uses. Nix states that she likes to use real objects from everyday life to construct her imaginative works because they help make “dreams become more of a reality.”