Your Toy Portrait - Custom Toy Portraits by Jennifer Maher » monkey

Monchichi

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:36:18 +0000

6″x8″ acrylic on cardboard, 2012. This little classic Monchichi turned out to have a very sad story that belies it’s joyful expression and theme song. It had found its way into Sonja’s jumble of toys by way of a visit to my mother’s house. As I was painting it for an upcoming exhibit, it occured to me that I had no idea where it had come from, and so I emailed my family about it. My mom responded that she had picked it up at a yard sale on a whim in the late 80’s when my sister and I were already fairly grown. Our next-door neighbor’s very ill baby girl, Amelia, took a liking to it, and my mom would entertain her by dancing the monkey around. The little plastic feet would make a cheerful clicking sound on the floor Amelia would squeal with delight! She also liked to chew on the monkey’s furry tail. Poor Amelia’s passed away from her heart defect before she had grown beyond babyhood… I love this little toy for being a source of happiness during her short life.

Curious George

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:07:43 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. Rather than languish in my post-holiday slow season, I’ve embarked on a series of portraits of classic toys. Here’s a jaunty stuffed Curious George… he’s trying to get the attention of my daughter, to no avail. Like most little kids, she does not value toys for their classic-ness, and currently would rather focus on future classics such as the Octonauts. Sorry, George!

Monkey

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:01:53 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. This Ty Pluffies monkey is adorable, but let’s face it — the most interesting thing about him is his association with a stuffed hedgehog. Wendy commissioned portraits of the hedgehog and monkey, which are the favorite toys of her two children. Check back tomorrow for the hedgehog portrait!

Fritters and Fritters The Other One

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:58:13 +0000

5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. Kit, who is almost three, started with just one monkey. It was given to her at birth by her grandmother, and naturally the “back-up” monkey was discovered and absorbed into everyday use. The monkey blanket-heads are known as “Fritters” and “Fritters The Other One,” a fantastic variation on the “Lovey” and “Other Lovey” template for naming twin toys that I often see! The spotted green blanket behind the monkeys is also a beloved favorite. This portrait is one of two commissioned by Kit’s mother Beth for her daughters, so check back soon to see five-year-old Elsie’s giraffes “Tito” and “Tito The Other One!”

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More info about prints here.

Monk

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 03:45:33 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Elijah’s clever mother Cassandra has embued his sock monkey with a sense of mystery and intrigue. During nap time, she would tell him, “Monk” would play on his own, and she even provided strategically posed photos with puzzles and toys as proof! Monk has survived being dragged to preschool and the dog’s overly-affectionate snuggling. Now that Elijah is five, he only calls for Monk occasionally when he’s sick or a bit sad, but he continues to be a beloved part of the family. Toys who seem to lead independent, adventurous lives are so endearing… click here for the story of a world traveling potato head!

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Lion, George, and Elephant

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 03:47:33 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Allisyn’s son Oliver has several VIP toys, three of which are honored in this portrait. This is one of two portraits which will be gifts for Oliver’s upcoming first birthday. I was thrilled to paint my first Curious George! All three of the toys in this painting keep Oliver company in his crib each night, and he has extended conversations with George every morning. In addition to the two paintings for her son, Allisyn also ordered a painting earlier this year for of her friend’s baby’s knit, stuffed monster.

Order a print of this painting:

More info about prints here.

Trena, Monkey, Firetruck

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Wed, 18 May 2011 04:44:25 +0000

9″x12″ acrylic, 2011. Well, this portrait was by far my most complex assignment! Cam, who is in his thirties, will present the painting to his mother as a belated Mother’s Day gift. The toys depicted are the favorites of her three children. I was provided with enough photographs showing the toys at various stages of wear and tear to paper the walls of my studio! Cam had a very helpful (but challenging) laundry list of requests for the painting. Trena, the baby doll, belonged to Cam’s older sister, and only required a little pinkness restored to her cheeks. Cam’s own unusual, stuffed monkey required more attention: I was to restore his orignal black and yellow body, as it has since been almost entirely replaced with patterned fabric. However, the color of his face was to be shown in it’s current “tan” condition rather than the original pristine white. A banana once held in the monkey’s hand is now entirely worn away, and Cam wanted the banana’s absence to be evident, as it marks the monkey as “his.” Sadly, the firetruck had been the last favorite toy of the eldest son just before he passed away as a very small child. Cam’s mother had recently had it fully restored save for its original lettering on the sides, so I worked from very old photos to add the white design to the new glossy red paint job. We agonized over the composition, and at long last the portrait came together. I hope that Cam’s mother enjoys this celebration of her childrens’ happiest moments! If you’d like to see another portrait I’ve done of a crazy-looking stuffed monkey, click here, and here for another vintage firetruck!

Order a print of this painting:

More info about prints here.

Roar, Monkey, and Blankie

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:19:11 +0000

5″x7″ acrylic, 2010. I can’t believe that this is the first sock monkey to come my way for a toy portrait! I hope there will be more! Monkey, Roar, and Blankie all belong to Sephanie’s son Graham, and this little painting is a gift for his upcoming birthday. Apparently there is no heirarchy among them, as Graham carries all three around the house all day and into bed each night. The blankie has its own voice, a bubbly, loopy, wordless language, and also a special spot on it which Graham insists is its “mouth.” What an imaginative kid!

Choppable

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:28:21 +0000

8″x10″ acrylic, 2009. Now that’s what I’m talking about! This thing, whatever it once was (a monkey?), has been loved to pieces! It is the childhood toy of Logan, husband of Melissa. Click here to read more about Choppable, whose moniker remains a mystery!

Momo

Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:45:57 +0000

Momo 8×10 acrylic on canvas 2009 — This is our friend Asha’s lovey, a monkey called Momo. I suspect that in a former life his name might have been George, but his tie-dyed onesy and placid smile indicate a very non-brand-name attitude.