MS Paint was the first digital tool I ever encountered. I was five years old, playing around on an old Hewlett Packard computer, mesmerized by the simplicity and creative freedom it offered.

In many ways, this artwork has been in development ever since.

The physical form of the piece began with a 3D model of the MS Paint UI, physically carved out of HDU (high density urethane). I chose HDU because it has a wood-like feel but with superior archival qualities, it doesn’t degrade over time, takes paint beautifully, and cuts cleanly on a CNC machine.

Once the form was carved to exact specifications, I hand-painted the entire piece using acrylics, carefully color matching the original MS Paint palette to maintain digital accuracy in this physical medium.

At the center is a layered digital collage, which I created by physically printing the digital assets on acid-free bond paper, and then assembling them in multiple layers using neutral pH adhesives to ensure long-term stability. A final varnish was applied on top to give the surface a painterly finish.

The image itself was inspired by the iconic Windows 98 “Bliss” background. The woman lying in a field is a reinterpretation of that image.

To me, the entire artwork is the physical embodiment of digital nostalgia, a tangible tribute to the time I grew up in, which now exists only fleetingly in my memories, and yet which resounds throughout my practice.