The Daydreamer (Original Acrylic Painting by Kim Testone)

"The Daydreamer," acrylic on panel, 24" x 24. Professionally framed in a contemporary white floater frame. Based on a real-life sugar cookie and frosting model that I baked and decorated and then replicated with acrylic paint in the trompe l'oeil style. This means that the painting is virtually flat, but it is painted in a way that looks amazingly three-dimensional and highly realistic in its details. 

"The Daydreamer" features a decorated sugar cookie horse, in an imaginary frosting landscape with a field of cookie flower (subtly, horse-friendly pansies), a pretzel stick fence, sugar cookie clouds, a gingerbread barn with a pretzel stick roof and a small Monarch butterfly cookie giving the impression that it is flying. The design balances the whimsical nature of the scene and the use of cookies, frosting and decorations with the three-dimensional illusion of the trompe l'oeil painting style and a subtle narrative of hope.

Monarch butterflies, which are often depicted in my trompe l'oeil foodscape works, are recognized as a symbol of transformation, strength and resilience. Here, I wanted the scene to depict a horse living on a farm and considering that maybe life can be more than simply being confined. The fence is open, the horse could leave and follow the butterfly, but what would happen? Is it enough to be comfortable among the field of flowers and bright red barn, or is it okay to dream of something more?

Like my other works, I wanted this piece to stand as a source of inspiration for people from a wide range of backgrounds who could connect with something in the piece. Using cookies and frosting as the base design elements allows an easier entry point for viewers to enjoy and thoughtfully consider the work, even children.

This piece went viral multiple times on TikTok, with the close-up view reaching more than 420,000 views.

Be sure to check out these TiKTok videos featuring the process and side views of "The Daydreamer":
- Close-up View of "The Daydreamer"
- Side View of "The Daydreamer"
- Painting process for "The Daydreamer"
- Side views of some of my trompe l'oeil cookie landscape paintings.

Questions? Please feel free to contact us here. 

Prints of this piece are available here.