Art journal July and August 2022 |
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“THE CIRCUS GIRL” 36X48 ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING |
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A celebration of freedom and individuality. For as long as I can remember, i've been obsessed with all things vintage: Jane Austen, b&w movies, and old church fundraiser cookbooks to name a few. As a child, it was thrilling to see the dresses, the customs, the chivalry, the romance! As an adult, I remain captivated but for different reasons. I still love all my favorites, but now I'm very much aware of how rigid the gender roles and societal norms were back then. |
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That's why when I see old vintage photographs of women who were clearly bucking the norms, I'm fascinated. What was their story? How did they make the leap? Were they happy with their choices? Historian Janet M. Davis writes in “The Circus Age” that “In an era when a majority of women's roles were still circumscribed by Victorian ideals of domesticity and feminine propriety, circus women's performances celebrated female power, thereby representing a startling alternative to contemporary social norms.” |
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I keep folders full of inspiration for my artwork - many of my folders are filled with imagery of performers at the turn of the century - circus performers, actresses, artists, musicians, burlesque dancers and more. |
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Looking at photographs of vintage circus performers stirs my imagination. I imagine something inside of them craved adventure and freedom from demure behavior, forced femininity, corsets and embroidery. I'm romanticizing, of course. The more you dig into something this complex, the more you learn. Many of these performers were born into the life. Some were outsiders and others were seeking freedom, independence and adventure. |
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(Yes, this is the same painting. It was a wild ride, lol!) |
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This painting has a hint of subtle shimmer from crushed gemstone. I added this beautiful effect by applying crushed silver mother of pearl. It's lovely. Here's a video of me applying the crushed silver: |
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I choose to paint a zebra instead of the horses that were more common at the time in circuses. Zebras symbolize freedom, balance and individualism to name a few. Did you know that no two zebras have the same stripes? The red string also has various symbolic meaning. I'm particularly drawn to the concept of the red string of fate. In many Eastern cultures, it's said that our lives move in a pre-ordained direction guided by invisible strings of thread woven into the fabric of the universe. |
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Makes you wonder…perhaps those of us who choose to march to the beat of our own drum are fated to do so by the universe itself. |
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Brand New Art Gallery I'm thrilled to announce that I've joined a local art gallery on Park Avenue, The Gallery 32789. It's located in Brandywine Square right in between George's Cafe and Gatorlillies. I have several paintings available there along with many other talented local artists. I will still offer original work directly through my website as well as through my new gallery. |
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As always, thank you so much for being here and supporting my work. See you next month! |
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