Clown (1984), 2 Color

10x14 2 color edition of 10 pcs

The Clown was one of a series my father never completed in the early 1980s. He began work on the Clown in 1983 and continued to develop the concept in 1984. He also created a poster for Circus World, home to the Ringling Brothers at that time.

Growing up, my father enjoyed taking our family to the circus. He loved seeing the clowns, their silly antics, exaggerated facial expressions, and the comedy they portrayed. He was very complex, but the simplest aspects of life and kindness brought him happiness.

The clown lithograph was first pulled in black and white. Shortly after, he added the ground pink color and pulled 10 pieces for hand coloring. His goal was to use full color as a serigraph.

Unfortunately, health issues continued, so he focused on painting, glass etchings, ceramics, and smaller projects. He devoted much of his time to his family. I saw my father as a gentle, shy, and humble person who radiated joy when he attended gallery and museum openings. He loved meeting people and saw goodness in everyone. Even with a slower speech pattern due to a series of strokes, kidney issues, and a form of COPD, he gave lectures and interviews until 1992.