I don’t know about you but I LOVE a good carnival…especially the old fashioned ones with the Victorian-style sideshow, the greasy food, gaudy lights and all the local “town-folk” coming out in droves to walk the hay-covered fairgrounds and see the sights!
This summer, a BIG carnival visited Central NJ for a few weeks so I jumped on the opportunity to go one night, take some colorful photographs and enjoy the fun.
As an artist, and someone who embraces a more alternative lifestyle (18 inch fingernails aren’t for everyone!), I’ve always been drawn to the world of the carni/sideshow scene…those amazing, bright colored Victorian hand-painted signs are great works of Americana art and inspired me so much that I created my own image in that style (which I now sell on T-shirts…see below!). The root word carni relates to the flesh and this makes sense as a carnival is definitely an experience of the flesh and all the senses; the sight of the bright colors, the abundance of lights & surreal surroundings; the smell of the festive foods, the sounds of the music & screams coming from the rides and so much more!
So, I invite you to STEP RIGHT UP and experience the carnival from my camera lens and appreciate all that goes into making these traveling wonders tick! Enjoy the show!!
~Lauren
NOTE: All images (c)2011 Lauren Curtis. Signed prints available. Paypal accepted. T-shirts start at $15 ea. + s/h. Feel free to contact me with any questions about these images & thanks for reading!! 🙂
Lauren's Creative Corner 