When I first became involved with this art form I spent
a lot of time in a sideshow chat group run by carnival sideshow veteran
Slim Price. Really great people. If you are interested in learning about
the history and/or the current state of the sideshow industry you should
check it out:
http://www.joebates.com/sideshow_discussion2/index.htm
I became quite close with some of the folks in that discussion group. One of them was a woman named Rusty Rock whose parents were billed as "The world's strangest couple" Her Dad was the "Tomani Giant " and her mom was the "Amazing Half Woman". When Rusties mom passed away a few years back, we in the discussion group were all quite touched. I was moved to create this banner in her honor. I found a photo reference of her in the great sideshow magazine "Shocked and Amazed" ...find em here at: http://www.atomicbooks.com/shocked.html They did a fantastic piece on Rusty's amazing parents.
The traditional carnival epitaph painted at the bottom was given by Slim Price and reads: "Dear God, Hold her close where the sawdust is always clean and dry."
This banner is now the property of Rusty Rock and lives somewhere near the old "Giants Campground" in Florida. Someday I would like to paint a companion piece tribute to her dad.
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