Circus Big Top

The theme for the Artist Trading Cards swap at CORE New Art Space last Saturday was Circus. I had thought and thought about the theme recalling circuses of my childhood, especially one that set up west of town with a big top and side shows and of course lots of animals. I made some ATCs of the theme that required a three-panel as they are called among swappers. They got snapped up right away at the trade. I treated the image in three different ways.

Making these tents was great fun and reminded me of many details both seen at the circus and in movies about circuses. But the circus isn't just tents or just the three rings inside the very large big top. It's much more and I had to work more to capture some if the fun.

After the tent is set up, the performers begin practicing to make sure everything is safe for them and the crowd. That's when the color increases and the anticipation grows. Of course there are clowns, but I had made clown cards galore in the past year. I thought and thought and got the idea to do a tribute to the NY artist Keith Haring. So with apologies to his memory, I presented some of the circus people and animals a la Haring with cards I titled Keith Haring Meets Barnum and Bailey.

I mostly hope you, dear reader, have a good art week!

Denver, 2015