Imaginary Friend

Imaginary Friend

“And then I found myself — not lost, just hiding in plain sight.” — Atticus Poetry

This piece was created in response to the theme of Childhood. A few years back, I explored this theme with my piece In the Corner. 

This time, I was drawn to the concept of an imaginary friend — a familiar childhood idea, often seen as playful or whimsical. But for me, it offered something deeper. I loved the idea of using the tea party setting to anchor this piece in childhood — with its nostalgia, innocence, and ritual — while also opening the door to themes of self-exploration, internal dialogue, and loneliness. That’s where the ghostly, "imaginary" figure comes in.

As I pieced the concept together, I realized it wasn’t just about the idea of imaginary friends in general. It was personal. It was about growing up as an only child. In many ways, this piece speaks to the only child experience — but also to the emotional experience of being "only" in any context. The imaginary friend in this image isn’t a character I invented for fun. She’s a proxy — for the sister never born, the friend who never called, and the idea that I became my own best friend out of necessity.

Even now, as an adult, she’s still here. Maybe fainter, maybe quieter — but still present. She is the one who once promised not to leave. And now I pour her tea. Then I acknowledge: You were me all along.