Clown #88 "Mesha T. Clown"
acrylic on paper,
2 ½” x 3 ½” (64 x 89 mm), 2019
Clown #88 is inspired by "Mesha T. Clown" from Michigan, USA. She is not performing anymore, she was a female clown a bit of an oddity if not a certain curiosity when she started clowning, immediately after receiving her degree from University of Michigan in 1974. She mastered mime, juggle, do hat tricks, stilt walk, perform children’s magic, puppetry and twist balloons. Later on she moved to San Francisco and started as clown street performer. She was fortunate to study with Bill Irwin and Larry Pisoni of the Pickle Family Circus.
In 1977, She partnered with an Auguste clown named Wheatstraw, Jeffrey LaBeouf. Their act was highlighted with the addition of a trained chicken and two dogs. They called themselves as "Clown Soup" ; the soup that made San Francisco funny.
In 1978 She left for Paris to attended Ecole Jacques Lecoq, school of mime, movement and theater. She clowned until 1988; street fairs, circus, state fairs, conventions, parties.
"Mesha T. Clown"
Her clown image was captured and published in two books; including The Great Cities /San Francisco by Time Life Books. She is a long time member of the Circus Historical Society and enjoy history prior to my memories.
Her birth mother was a performer and traveled with two large carnivals prior to World War II. Recently she is working on her memoir and her work in progress can be found on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/skatesonasuitcase
work in progress
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