08/2023 — 48″ x 26.5″

Acrylic on used fence pickets, candles

$750

I have a long list of ideas I want to revisit and improve upon. Some of them were not at all successful in previous attempts while other did sell and were very well received, but the were all done in an old style either on panel or on fence pickets but in a traditional rectangular format. Since I’ve been layering cutout shapes, I have realized that I can bring new life to old ideas that deserve to be refreshed.

This idea was originally an 48″x18″ panel with a simple sad clown standing on a shallow vaudevillian stage. He two was surrounded by 3 dark, brooding, negative sentiments displayed as speech bubbles. I’m not sure where I came up with the title but I do believe it had something to do with a type of clown and inspired associations between the sad clown motif and modern day goth kids and their whole bit with costumes and makeup and negative outlook. Goths are modern day sad clowns…that’s what I’m saying.

This new piece utilizes a photo I found on the web of a goth girl in a cute pose that displays her clothing choices nicely. I substituted her face with a sad clown image, and her hair with something a bit more bold. I felt like she needed a base, or context upon which she was standing precariously on one foot and thought of a ball and it’s association with the circus. It’s a bit of a metaphor or how they balance themselves, like we all do, between how we are perceived and how we want to be perceived. The roses are just a formal element I added for color and to ground her on the ball a bit more.

This subject matter is never going to appeal to a wide audience and this piece doesn’t garner much attention from anyone. But it was something i needed to exercise from my brain. Someone, someday might come along and think it’s perfect. There is always hope it will connect with the perfect person one lucky day.