Happy Days

“A child carrying or pulling a big heart is a theme I have explored many times before. This search
for love, our need for it and the power of it, is apparent in lots of my work, not just the more symbolically obvious images.” -Mackenzie Thorpe

In this limited edition sculpture for sale, Mackenzie Thorpe highlights the unique and loving bond between humans and our animal best friends. A child with a big head and a huge ear to ear smile sits on a small wooden cart as a black and white cow-spotted dog pulls him along. The child’s face is devoid of features or color as he is meant to represent every child when drawn in Thorpe’s signature style. His head is full of endless possibilities and dreams. The figures merrily travel together, both holding their heads high, suggesting that happy days are ahead for this dynamic duo.

One of the consistent themes that Thorpe likes to explore in his work is the love that we express on our journey through life. He believes that we have an obligation to spread love and joy from one destination to the next. The child’s little wagon is overflowing with a massive red heart as he is ready to share his positivity with whoever he encounters. The child is wearing a simple purple and green outfit with Thorpe’s iconic red heart reflected in his t-shirt pattern. Oftentimes, Thorpe depicts these children with so little that they do not even have a shadow. Although he might think that he does not have much to give, he has everything because his heart is full of love. He has so much to offer if he is given the chance to show it.

There are many hills and challenges ahead, and the road is long, but the characters’ smiles show that they can get through it together. This piece has an overwhelmingly positive and happy tone that the characters express through their smiling faces. They might not know exactly where they are going, but they are ready to spread love and bring positivity along on every step of their journey.

An idea for a sculpture might come to Thorpe directly. Then, he will start sketching to work the details out on paper. Other times, he will finish a work on paper or canvas and when he stands back to look at it, the piece tells him it really should be a sculpture. The challenge is to bring something flat and 2-dimensional to life as a sculpture. It appears that this is the case with “Happy Days” as this image has been used several times in Thorpe’s prints and drawings.

This iconic Mackenzie Thorpe artwork, along with several other artworks, is available for sale at the Marcus Ashley Gallery in South Lake Tahoe. The gallery invites you to visit and share your love of art with them, explore the great wilderness of the Sierras, and find yourself at a home away from home.