Four Clowns, Vermont Studio Center, Vermont, July, 2011
Hugo is nestled in southeastern Oklahoma, near the Northeast Texas border, and was founded in 1902 and named after the famous French novelist. To circus fans the city of Hugo is known as “Circus City USA”. This namesake is due to the fact that it is winter quarters for three traveling circuses: Carson & Barnes, Kelly-Miller, & Culpepper-Merryweather. I visited Hugo three years ago with my family hoping to find some trace of the renowned circus life only to realize we had arrived one week premature to Hugo’s Bluegrass Festival. Yet so late for a circus sighting that not one trace of the big top, abandoned animal, nor instrument could be found. To make up for the festivity void, we stopped by Showman’s Rest at Mt. Olivet Cemetery with only our imaginations to entertain us and to dream up images of the glorious days when these circus stars performed in the rings instead.
In the summer of 2011, I received a fellowship for a month long residency at the Vermont Studio Center. I soon learned that Vermont-based “Circus Smirkus” had just started its New England summer traveling shows. I was so busy getting acclimated I missed their stop in Essex, VT, which was only 45 minutes away then failed to see them once again as they stopped in . By the time I finally found my bearings, the circus was many hours away in Brattleboro or in MA. I soon came to the realization that I would miss the Circus entirely. I could not help but be reminded of my Hugo experience. In lieu of seeing the actual circus I decided to create clown pictures during my Vermont experience.
In the midst of my recreations whilst chasing the circus and painting clowns from web images, Tulsa photographer Scott Raffe passed away. I had a recollection of a collaborative photo essay named "Oklahoma" and also found out he had been using a camera to follow two one ring circuses for the past 15 years. My heart sank as I came to the realization that I had missed something. The void in my heart kept expanding; as a result, I decided to return to painting more clowns including myself. These works parallel my imagination, my yearning to capture something romantic and classic and echoes a moment of detachment with a full feeling as well. That evening, I walked to a foot high tightrope that had been left in the park and took a few unsure but liberating steps of my own.
In the summer of 2011, I received a fellowship for a month long residency at the Vermont Studio Center. I soon learned that Vermont-based “Circus Smirkus” had just started its New England summer traveling shows. I was so busy getting acclimated I missed their stop in Essex, VT, which was only 45 minutes away then failed to see them once again as they stopped in . By the time I finally found my bearings, the circus was many hours away in Brattleboro or in MA. I soon came to the realization that I would miss the Circus entirely. I could not help but be reminded of my Hugo experience. In lieu of seeing the actual circus I decided to create clown pictures during my Vermont experience.
In the midst of my recreations whilst chasing the circus and painting clowns from web images, Tulsa photographer Scott Raffe passed away. I had a recollection of a collaborative photo essay named "Oklahoma" and also found out he had been using a camera to follow two one ring circuses for the past 15 years. My heart sank as I came to the realization that I had missed something. The void in my heart kept expanding; as a result, I decided to return to painting more clowns including myself. These works parallel my imagination, my yearning to capture something romantic and classic and echoes a moment of detachment with a full feeling as well. That evening, I walked to a foot high tightrope that had been left in the park and took a few unsure but liberating steps of my own.
www.smirkus.org
www.carsonbarnescircus.com
www.cmcircus.com
www.kellymillercircus.com
www.circusflora.org
www.zoppe.net
New York Times article by Dan Barry 2011/07/28: A Young Clown Follows in a Father's Giant Footsteps
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/us/29land.html?pagewanted=all
Tightrope walk "Touch" performed by Janine Antoni
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_n2kfqNmpY
www.carsonbarnescircus.com
www.cmcircus.com
www.kellymillercircus.com
www.circusflora.org
www.zoppe.net
New York Times article by Dan Barry 2011/07/28: A Young Clown Follows in a Father's Giant Footsteps
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/us/29land.html?pagewanted=all
Tightrope walk "Touch" performed by Janine Antoni
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_n2kfqNmpY