Orange Tootsie Pop No. 4 | Original Pop-Realism Drawing by Mike Pitzer

When you look back at childhood, some of the most enduring memories are attached to objects that were never intended to be important.

Like an orange Tootsie Pop.

It was made to be unwrapped, enjoyed, and forgotten. Yet the familiar shape, wrapper, and flavor of a Tootsie Pop have become part of the collective memory of generations of Americans.

That’s the heart of American Material Memory. Ordinary manufactured objects can outlive their original purpose by becoming reminders not only of what we once had, but of who we were when we had them.

From the Artist:

I love the idea that something as simple as an orange Tootsie Pop could become part of so many different childhoods.

I was really hoping to finish this drawing in time to submit it for the 105th Anniversary Exhibition at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto, California. Unfortunately, I was a little too late to get it in for consideration, but I still enjoyed every minute of creating it.

Now, when I look at the finished drawing, it carries another memory for me: apparently, I need to manage my time better.

Hahaha.