Buddy Copeland
" THE CIRCUS IS A JELOUS WENCH "

Indeed that is an Understatement . She is a Ravining Bag who sucks Your Vitality as a Vampire Sucks Your Blood who Kills the Brightest Stars in Her Own Crown & who will allow NO Private Life to those who Serve Her ; Wrecking homes , Ruining There Bodys & Destroying the Happyness of the Loved Ones .

She is all of these things & YET ;
I LOVE HER AS I LOVE NOTHING ELSE ON EARTH !
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statement by

" Henry Ringling North "

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Since I was a Young Lad , I was always Very Enchanted by the Circus - then one day
in May of 1973 Mike Aria came walking up the driveway of the Elberon Ranch .
Mikes older Brother John & I were best of friends since 4th grade & I remained fairly close with there family through out most of my Life , especially Mrs. Aria ; who I always Loved , Respected & Regarded in ways , a second Mother to ME , up untill her Death . Mikes Girlfriend Janice Gillespie was a Clown with RB,B&B Circus & Mike was then Bear Trainer " Jack Altoff's " Assistant also on the Blue Show .
Mike came to invite me to accompany him & attend his Birthday Party some Circus Friends of his were giving him : BUT ; we would first go visit with " Bennett Bean " ( Mikes old College Art Professor & Master Potter ) in N.W. New Jersey - then on to Madison Square Garden to see the Circus & then off to the Birthday Party Uptown at another of His Frends Pad . We did all that ; & I must say I was just Overwhelmed with Excitement of the Circus at NYC / MSG , the Dazzeling Show Girls in there Elaborate Sequine , Rinestone & Feathered " Don Foote Designed Costumes " & All its Excitement & the Many Vivid Artisticaly Olimpic Like Human Feats & SO Many Unusual Remarkable Acts . I was Especially Awed by The Artist Hopping Down the Track ON ONE HAND & the Animals : the Elephants , Bears & spacifically Charlie Baumans TIGER ACT - WOW !
the Clowning of Jimmy Briskows Stuffed Lion Cary on his sholders .
I WAS COMPLETELY CAPTIVATED BY EVERYTHING THIS EVENING !
As the " 1970s " was possiably the most Vividly Exciting & Dazzeling of Eras
For The Modern Day Circus
This is when I also met Bill Ballentine & I Originaly attempted to Inquire & Entertain thoughts of becoming a Circus Clown . I was Not accepted to there Clown College that next season
& with this " Performing Arts " excitement NOW in ME ;
I eventuially went on to Starting " MY OWN " Performing Comedy Troup within & for
" the Elberon Ranch Night Club Shows "
we produced in Asbury Park , New Jersey at " the Stone Pony " beginning June 21, 1975 .
These Productions Basicaly Continued every Season for the next couple years .
In June 1976 , I was one of four Artists in an Art Show at The Studio in Red Bank , N. J. with a Series of 9 " Surreal Floral Water Colors " 22 " X 28 " that SOLD OUT & I got 2 Commitions for ( insipred by Andy Warhols newist Flower Series , that I had been Picture Framing in Aspen , Co. in the Winter / Spring of 1975 ) .
With a pocket full of Money & a Disinchanting Experiance within the Asbury Park Music Scene
" WE Tangiably Stimulated & Originated "
( as Our Entertainment Atmosphier went under Ambush & I wanted Better - Seeking To Move On )
The Ocean had also become VERY Dirty from the OCEAN DUMPING that Appaled Me !
Local Long Brancher " Congressman Frank Palone " would Address this Issue
Making Important Major Ecological Progress - Over Time !
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SO ; I was off again to seek a New Lifestyle & hopefully with a Finer & More Dazeling Artistic Croud in a Healthier Climate & Atmousphier . I also missed & wanted to see my ole girlfriend " Fanny " in Florida - & head on to see Mike & Janice at R B, B & B CIRCUS WORLD ; a NEW One Ring European Style Show - with a Fresh New Broadway Theatre like Production ( a pre-" BARNUM " NYC Theatre Style ) , in a State of the Art , Air-Conditioned Arena & Powerful 11 Piece Brass Band . This place was also THEN being Promoted as the NEWIST CENTRAL FLORIDA YEAR ROUND THEME PARK & was to also become the New Home Base / Winterquarters for RB,B & B Circus Combined Shows just 10 min. West of DISNEY WORLD & SEA WORLD , etc. .
I was hoping to hook in to This CIRCUS as a Clown or Artist somehow & than to off to Sarasota to visit briefly with my family . When I was with Mike & Janice for 3-4 days I met most every one & they said A Clown just quit the Show - SO I applied for the Job there as a Circus Clown .
When I finaly arived at my Moms The CIRCUS had Called her & said I was Hired .
SO ; I arranged to be back there ready to work in One Month . I basicaly established a Clown Charactor that was Auguste in flavor yet Quite Human - Refining IT little by little when Antonio Hoyos arived to Influience & Help Define my clown as " A Charactor Clown " more Vividly , as he & I began to work togeather . I soon became Lead Clown & even Temporarly - Boss Clown , as some Red & Blue Show Clowns came & went with that as there Objective ! I also did some PR : Welcoming & Esquarting the President Elect Monea of Costa Rica & Family around for a couple days & Officiating 11 Yr. old Lena's Birthday Party . I clowned with the BBC TV as a Special Guest for a Childrens Show & did some Pizza Hut Commertials along with Promotional Poster Advertisements for the Show . I Built some Show Props , Designed & Exicuted the Theatre Stage Set when THE SHOW Changed its Acts in 1978 . I spent over 2 Exciting Years there untill having a Trapize Misshap during a full Dress Rehearsal during the " Strobe Light Sequence " resulting in My In-ability to Focus Clearly on my Target ( the FLOOR ) exiting the Trapeze Apparatice in our Developing Large Production version of " The Safe Cracker Gag " , Injuring my lower legs Seriously taking 6 Months to Recover Finaly with Physical Therapy during which time I had just been replaced by the New Clown College Graduates .
I was devastated - but - " That's Show-Bizz " !
I do retain my contact with some of my Circus Peers I had there ;
" Keeping My Wonderfull Memories & Circus Dreams Alive "
Unfortunately this Became Just Another Phase in My Life ; but a Very , Very Special One !
Since my mishap I began to Paint The Circus & will continue doing this .

Here are some Photos of MY Circus Days & some Artwork I did of the CIRCUS

During my Recovery I decided to pick up my Pens & & Pencils again as I had done my whole adult Life & begin a Black & White Circus Series . I also decided to Over Paint Old Masters Paintings ( Prints ) with Clown Faces

After leaving the Circus in 1979 I do continue to Paint IT as it was one of My Most Fondest Experiances .

I will also Accept doing Commitions & or Your Portrates , Visions etc. in Various Sizes & or Mediums .

If you have any interest in My Artwork please contact ;
clownpaintersculptor@yahoo.com

Now here are some of My Circus Paintings I have done .

SOME IMAGES SHOW UP " RATHER REDISH " & or FAINT THOUGH
( I'LL TRY TO WORK ON THAT )



Friday, December 19, 2008

" Ajax ; Bring Us a Glass of Wine Please ! "

16 ' X 24 " Acrylic on Burlap
This Painting has the Flavor of the Circus for Me
it is Rough in Texture & Fine in Charm !
Its Enchantment stems from watching Ursula
play with 10 Tremendious Polar Bears Daily.
But prior to them
I spent many hours with Mike & Janice Arias Bears
as a close friend Rehearsing & Dancing with them First Hand .

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