"I was born and raised as an American in Saudi Arabia, and professionally, I spent several years working as a toy designer. These two experiences have strongly influenced a series I have been working on called ‘Lil’ Terrors.’ Children’s toys model acceptable adult behaviors and ideals. I make toys that humorously reflect my fears and worldly affairs that are hard to comprehend.
I look at adult behaviors that we are quietly ashamed of and make toys that reflect those practices. As a parent and a teacher, I think a lot about how to explain the world because you can’t tell a child that the reason we take our shoes off at the airport is because we don’t trust each other, and we don’t want a random stranger to kill everyone. While these are obviously toys you would never sell to children, I think it is important for adults to examine contemporary issues through the eyes of a child. "
— Nathaniel Lewis
