The Boy Arcade is part of a series called "Plogging" which I began in 2018. The first paintings of this series was exhibited at the Cerulean Arts Gallery in May of 2018. I continued to pick up litter for painting subjects until March of 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak occured. I continue to paint still lives of objects with things I've found and kept from the outdoors.
 
The term plogging comes from the Sweddish phrase "plocka upp" combined with the word jogging. It is an activity that involves of picking up litter while exercising outdoors.  This started as an organized pastime in Sweden around 2016 and made came to other countries in 2018.
 
My interest in plogging stems from moving frequently and noticing the different levels of trash I observe in each neighborhood while going for a morning run. Usually these are common items such as wrappers, boxes and children's toy parts. The weathered condition of the objects contrast the slick and crisp graphic design the object originally had and often reflects the condition of the neighborhood.