Clown (not nude - in underwear) updated WON an AWARD!

Well, my holiday "down time" was pretty busy just trying to get some work done. I was able to finish my watercolor commission (sadly, I got them to her before taking any photos) and finished up one of my paintings for a show we have an opening for in two weeks. Talk about cutting it close......I STILL have one more to finish!!

The proposal we submitted for the show opening in two weeks sprouted up from a statement one of the instructors mentioned in a discussion we overheard in class. He said that "It doesn't matter what subject you paint. If you do quality work there WILL be a market for it. I don't care if you paint clowns in their underwear......if it's good there will be someone out there that will want to buy it."

Of course, as immature college students (yes, despite the fact that I'm now 41 years old I consider myself to be just that) we immediately thought that clowns in their underwear would be a GREAT subject for a show and set about making it happen. SO, after a few months of prep we have 12 artists in a show we've called "Clowns Laid Bare". Everyone seems to have a different take on what the subject matter calls for and so I'm excited to see the show as a whole.

I wanted to portray everyday people in clown makeup to kind of show the secret lives of people. My husband was my first model (I tell him that as the spouse of an artist it's his duty to be my model but I think he secretly loves it) and I'm still working on that painting because it's quite large and is a grisaille technique that seems to take FOREVER. I had a second painting in mind and actually knew exactly who I wanted to paint but I was reluctant to ask her as she's one of our clients at the vet clinic where I work.

I FINALLY got the nerve to ask. I explained to her in an email that it involved clown makeup and posing in her underwear and that if she wasn't comfortable with it I understood. She replied that she would LOVE to do that for me. I was floored!

The day of the photoshoot I got there and put on her clown makeup after that she asked what I wanted her to wear! I stumbled........ask ed her if she'd actually read my email and she explained she'd only glanced at it. I told her it was meant to be in her underwear and she said "Oh, no problem at all". Whew! Then I explained that I wanted to show her smoking because I know that she has a secret smoking habit and she was fine with that too.....HUGE sigh of relief! After the photo shoot she said she had so much fun that if I EVER needed a model again for anything just to let her know!

I think I'm having FAR too much fun with this subject and I think I'd like to do a few more (including a self-portrait).

SO, here is one of my submissions for the show and it is the largest painting I've done to date (30" x 40" gessobord). I've decided to call it "Repose of an Established Habit".

As always Critiques and Criticism are welcome and encouraged! I have tough skin so don't worry about hurting my feelings.

detail of face:

entire painting:

detail of dog:

Oh, and the front of our postcards......I found an old clown doll at an antique store. I made him a pair of underwear from an old handkerchief and because his feet were destroyed by rodents (or maybe an enthusiastic puppy) I made him a pair of bunny slippers. I then just photographed him and we used the photograph. We didn't want one person's artwork on the advertisement and so this was a good compromise: