Small Rewards | Tuesday Troup

Necessary Arts Collective
4 hours ago
3 min read

Exhibiting March 10 - 24, 2026

"Small Rewards brings together fifteen ten-inch star-shaped oil paintings arranged to resemble a collection of badges, tokens, or small emblems. Installed together, the works read as fragments of memory: objects, images, and symbols drawn from personal history, pop culture, and visual references that evoke nostalgia while also carrying something slightly uncanny. The star shape functions both as a container and as a disruption. Stars are familiar symbols associated with childhood reward systems, decoration, and affirmation, often appearing as gold stickers given as recognition. The star motif moves beyond a compositional frame to reference the act of artistic production itself. The completion of a painting serves as a literal reward, or at least a moment of validation in a solitary practice. Collectively, the installation functions as a self-inflicted report card where each star represents a unit of labor, a checked box, or a demand for recognition.

My work often explores the shifting relationship between figure, pattern, and decorative surfaces within painting. Drawing from feminist visual culture and domestic material histories, I frequently incorporate textile motifs and vintage upholstery patterns as active compositional elements rather than passive backgrounds. In these works, pattern exerts pressure on the figure, at times overwhelming or absorbing it entirely. I am interested in how domestic visual environments like textiles, wallpaper, furniture and other decorative objects shape emotional experience and become intertwined with identity and memory.

The star motif referencing the familiar validation of receiving a gold star while complicating the idea of recognition through gestures that feel self-awarded. In Small Rewards, the paintings gather like a wall of small gestures of affirmation that feel familiar yet strange, where sentimental symbols and decorative surfaces blur the line between comfort and unease."

About the Artist

Tuesday Troup is an emerging artist based in St. Catharines, Ontario. Her practice explores the human figure in relation to textile patterns, drawing on themes of domesticity, ornamentation, and contemporary life. She recently completed her undergrad with an Honours BA from the University of Guelph, majoring in Studio Art with a minor in Art History. Her work often plays with the visual tension between figure and pattern, creating immersive compositions that blur boundaries between subject and setting. In October 2024, she presented her solo exhibition "Living Room" at Zavitz Gallery and has participated in several group exhibitions at Lalani Jennings Contemporary Art, ArtBar, and Zavitz Gallery. She is now co-owner of Hazel Market, a café and creative hub located in the historic Downtown Thorold Fire Hall.

Website: https://tuesdaytroup.com

Available Work

Understory, 2024

36”x 36”, Oil on Canvas

$900.00

Tresses, 2025

30”x 48”, Oil on Canvas

$950.00

Blythe Star, 2025

10”x 10”, Oil on Canvas

$200.00

Upholstered Star, 2025