Welcome back to the Freak Show

I had so much fun with Mermaid Girl, the Bearded Lady, Lobster Boy and my Inseparable twins so I decided to add a few more to the Side Show family.

Who would be a more perfect addition than someone very tall and someone very small?  It's a talent that young Alice comes by almost honestly!

My time for art work has been a little scarce the last couple of weeks.  I spent a delightful weekend in New Orleans with my mother, my brilliant younger sister and her husband.   We explored all the classic tourist attractions of New Orleans, from a tour of Lafayette Cemetery and the Garden District to a cruise on a steamship, and the delights of the French Quarter.

As much as I've come to love Baton Rouge, I will always miss New Orleans. 

My mother stayed on for another week and we explored the charms of the Baton Rouge area, from Houmas House to the Laura Plantation to the Rural Life Museum of LSU.  

Now that she is gone, the house seems almost quiet, despite my four children and too many cats.  

Due to the endless spring rain, I missed out on a few markets this month but I am really hoping it will be clear enough tomorrow night for the N the Art Spot Spring Fest.  I will have a canopy full of surrealistic fun if you can dodge the raindrops and come by!

And I've managed to find some time to work on some new art pieces.  Say hello to Alice and Alice.  After all, there is always time to stop by the Freak Show and visit with all my friends!

The Bearded lady and her Hairless...um...Kitty

I am having too much fun with this new series!

When you start looking on your art as a task to finish, it's time to take a leap in a completely new direction.

I love my Tarot card series but I definitely needed a palate cleanser!

Allow me to introduce the Bearded Lady and her fellow Side Show Performer, the Three Eyed, Hairless, um....Kitty.

It's all Connected

Many of my blog posts have concerned connections.  

With my art, I oftem explore my connection to the world and to my past.  I may have taken things a little too far this time...

I am still in the midst of my Tarot card series and putting the final touches on my last two Jack the Ripper pieces, but I wanted to take a bit of a break and do a piece that could stand on it's own.

I started with the idea of two different little girls having a playful skirmish battle with umbrellas, but somehow, I ended up here.

I have been toying with the idea of doing a Side Show series for many months but didn't feel quite ready to start.  

With my art, I let my emotions lead me.

I've commented in the past that I am a firm believer in the clarity gained through daily pages (a k a "The Artists Way" fundamentals.)  

Whether you believe that you are communing with a higher power or merely removing all the petty minutia from your thoughts, I find a sense of purpose within those pages.  

By focusing for 45 minutes and letting my thoughts wander on paper, I find that am never without ideas for a new piece of art or series.

My interest has meandered a bit this year, from Victorian crime to my grandmothers' mystical past.  I've enjoyed working through my obsessions but am really excited about this new piece.

Expect to see several more Side Show pieces from me in the weeks ahead!

Interested in seeing a few in person?  

I will have these Twins as well as Mermaid Girl ready for viewing this weekend at Fest for All in Baton Rouge.

Look for me in Booth 3 off of River Road!