The Years We Were Little Exhibition Is Now Live on Women in Arts Network
We are beyond thrilled to share that our newest international virtual exhibition, The Years We Were Little, by Women in Arts Network centered on the theme Childhood Nostalgia, is now live!
This exhibition is more than just a collection of artworks it’s a journey back to the tender, fleeting moments of childhood that stay with us forever. Hosted by the Women in Arts Network, it celebrates the voices of women-identifying and non-binary artists from across the globe, bringing together memories, imagination, and the universal experiences that shape who we are. Every submission tells a deeply personal story yet speaks to something we all share. From painting and sculpture to photography, mixed media, and digital art, each piece offers a unique perspective. Together, they form a rich, emotional collection that reminds us that while our childhoods may have looked different, the feelings tied to them wonder, curiosity, joy, and the gentle ache of nostalgia are something profoundly human and timeless.
Why “The Years We Were Little“?
The title of this exhibition, The Years We Were Little, carries a deep, heartfelt meaning. Childhood is a time that lingers within us long after we grow up a period filled with wonder, curiosity, and endless discovery. It’s the years when a puddle after the rain could become a secret ocean, a paper plane could take you soaring above imaginary kingdoms, and a cardboard box could transform into a castle, spaceship, or pirate ship. It’s the smell of crayons on a fresh drawing, the taste of your first ice cream cone on a summer afternoon, the thrill of climbing trees just to touch the sky, or the quiet comfort of a bedtime story read under a dim lamp.
As the poet Pablo Neruda once said, “A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who does not play has lost forever the child who lived in him.”
We named this exhibition The Years We Were Little because it is a celebration of those formative moments those tiny fragments of magic, curiosity, and imagination that shape who we become. It is an invitation to step back into your own memories, to feel the laughter, the wonder, and even the bittersweet pangs of growing up. This is a space to reconnect with the child you once were the one who believed the world was infinite, who found joy in small adventures, and who carried endless dreams in wide, curious eyes.
The Magic of Childhood on Display
When you enter this exhibition, it’s like stepping into the world through a child’s eyes. Each artwork sparks laughter, stirs nostalgia, and sometimes brings a bittersweet ache, reminding us of the small, magical moments that shape childhood. You might see the warmth of a grandmother’s kitchen, with the smell of freshly baked bread filling the air, the thrill of running barefoot through open fields, the excitement of climbing trees just to see the world from above, or the quiet wonder of discovering a hidden nook in the garden.
Some memories are vivid and bursting with colour, like chasing bubbles in the sunlight, while others are soft and blurred, like the hush of early mornings or the gentle patter of rain on a roof. Each piece captures a fragment of childhood the curiosity, the joy, the small victories, and even the little heartbreaks.
These artworks come from all corners of the world, showing that magic can be found everywhere when seen through little eyes. Childhood shapes who we are, and art is the language that carries these stories across borders, connecting us through shared wonder, feelings, and memories.
Exhibiting Artists
We are honoured to present the incredible talents whose works make up this exhibition:
Adarsha Ajay adarshaajay
Akshayaa Selvaraj akshayaaselvaraj
Alaa Moawad allaamoawed
Alisa Vos @artavos
Anima Red @anima.red
Asya Dikbıyık @asyunart
Bai Yurui @bai_yurui
Carol Kent
Danni Teasdale @danni.t.art
Delaney Henderson @delaney.henderson_
Delia Colmenares @delia.collages
Diana Gómez J @dianaspectrum9
Ekaterina Mareeva @artmareeva
Elena Kirova @ingvarra08
Esang Ocampo @esangocampo04
Gina Restivo @eyesall0ver
Honey Grace Fabon @hgf_artz
Kittiya Reangrob @mikkikill_
Luna Xue
Lydia Loudovikou @lydialoudovikou
Mahnoor Ali Gilani @mahnooraligilani
Maria Papa @maria_papa_art
Melody Croft @croftmelody
Narmeen Zain @nrm34n
Natallia Korchyk @nata_korchyk_art
Niki Bayard @nikibayard
Nykie Gibbs @nykiegibbs
Olorunkanyinsola Tokan-Lawal @kaos.overload
Ronja Bohlin
Sehar Mehboob @seharenity
Snezana Biro @zhanadarte
Sofia cristina Jimenez @el_espacio_permanente
Svitlana Stovba @svetti.stovba
Uliana Novak
Victoriya Ojo @ilemoba_joy
A Celebration of Childhood Across the World
The response to this exhibition has been truly overwhelming. Artists from all over the world shared their stories, bringing together different cultures, languages, and perspectives. Yet, every single piece carries the same thread: the delicate, beautiful, and sometimes bittersweet experience of growing up.
The Years We Were Little shows us the power of art to connect people across borders. Childhood may have looked different for each of us, but the feelings of wonder, curiosity, joy, and longing are universal. As you move through the galleries, you see that memory, imagination, and emotion tie us all together, reminding us that no matter where we come from, the magic of childhood is something we all share.
Holding Space for the Child Within
As Edna St. Vincent Millay said, “Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age the child is grown, and puts away childish things. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.”
With The Years We Were Little, we aim to create a space for this kingdom where stories live on, where play and imagination never fade, and where memory transforms into art. This exhibition is not just a display of creativity, but a heartfelt celebration of the shared human experience of being little once upon a time. It reminds us that even as adults, the child we once were continues to shape how we see the world, dream, and create.
