From around 2009 to 2011 I was working on a series of paintings that were inspired by classic circus shows and carnivals. I worked mostly in grey scale with pencil, but I added details with colored pencils as well as paint to specific parts of the pieces to draw attention to those areas and to create some additional visual interest. In the course of time my interests shifted, and I switched gears and started working on other topics and styles in my art.
When I moved into my last house a few years ago I found a large piece that I had started during that circus phase but never completed. Up until then it had stayed rolled up among all my other past pieces. When I found it I remembered that I had really enjoyed that piece, and even if it didn’t fit within my current collection I still wanted to finish it eventually. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough room to work on such a large piece, so I decided to store it again and wait until I had more studio space.
Fast forward to this summer. I moved with my fiance into a house we purchased, and I finally had some extra room in my studio for the big drawing board I would need to tape the paper up on and resume work on it. So far I’ve finished the under-drawing. I decided to spend a bit of time working on it between paintings in my current collection. This will be a piece I keep for myself, so I’m not really working on a hard deadline. I’m looking forward to getting back to work on it. It’s nice to have a piece I am doing just for myself with no pressure to make it cohesive with another collection. I can do with it what I want.
Above is an image of the piece in question as it is now. It’s quite large and will take a while. I’ll enjoy having it to come back to when I have the chance over the next months.
Have you ever done any art that you didn’t make with the intention of showing it within a full collection? Something fun and just for yourself? I recommend it if you can find the time. It’s nice to experiment, play and create without pressure.
Below are a few examples of pieces from that collection. I hope you enjoy! It’s fun to look back at my art and see how it’s changed over the years.
