Though some people preserve memories through vintage photographs or home videos, Atlanta artist Whitney Stansell prefers to aesthetically reconstruct her mother’s eccentric life with a simple stroke of a brush.

Stansell’s collection “An Iconography of an Imagined History” will be on exhibit at the Lamar Dodd School of Art through Jan. 20.

Endowed with a mother fond of storytelling, Stansell uses her work to construct a narrative of prominent events in the life of her mother, Danelle O’Toole.

As a child, Stansell sought to express herself creatively and began studying fiber arts while attending the University. After receiving her master’s in painting at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Stansell presented a physical recollection of her mother’s life stories.

“I begin every painting by sketching out memories. You have to let the outside world form your imagination,” Stansell said. “Mine is formed by everyday surroundings.”

The works center more on events that occur before or after dramatic experiences in her life. As a teenager, Stansell discovered her grandfather was in prison for money laundering.

“When my mother told me,” Stansell said. “I realized that there had been missing pieces where he wasn’t there.”

The piece “State Penitentiary,” which was inspired by the news of Stansell’s grandfather’s situation, portrays O’Toole realizing her car tag had expired after spotting a prison guard. However, the work expresses more humor than grief.

“[O'Toole]‘s pushing the car in reverse, trying to cover the tag and waving to her father at the same time,” said Stansell, who often paints more lighthearted and childish images to express darker ideas.

Though many artists craft paintings vague in meaning and open to interpretation, Stansell intentionally creates a narrative that references children’s story books with footnotes that explain events and identify characters. Similar to a “Fun with Dick and Jane” storybook, the pale green, yellow and Tiffany blue colors are specific to the 1950s.

“It’s important to understand who you are and where you came from,” Stansell said, explaining the effect of blending family and individual lifestyle.

“Antonucci’s Bakery,” though not on display at the exhibit, is Stansell’s personal favorite and the first canvas in the series. It depicts O’Toole reflectively sitting on a curb outside a small town bakery.

“Those fondest memories are so fresh and real to me. I was beginning a body of work I was passionate about,” Stansell said.

“What’s interesting to me is its lasting presence . It’s very nostalgic,” said first year master’s student Charles Westfall from Gainesville, Fla., who oversees the gallery. “It proves that artists are not just in L.A. or New York. There are young artists right here.”

Other works in the gallery include a vivid portrait of life at St. Bernadette’s Catholic School, the bare emptiness of a small suburban neighborhood and a charming portrayal of O’Toole getting her hair rolled with orange juice cans.

Almost hidden amongst numerous siblings and without a father, O’Toole found ways to keep her life interesting. Stansell has captured these stories of lost innocence, creating a unique approach in honoring her mother.