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"Mr. Bee Poses For His Portrait" by Lesley Spanos. Acrylic painting on Ampersand Aquabord, 7" x 5". Copyright ©2012 Lesley Spanos, all rights reserved.

I don’t know why I love the Bumble Bee Bop so much. I guess part of the reason is because these guys are always cheerful, and just so darn cute.

Then there’s pure artistic admiration. The designers managed to create believable personalities from basic shapes that remind me of a giant billiard ball stacked on top of a giant yellow golf ball. The simplest designs can be the most effective! These bees have no moving parts – the head doesn’t turn, and the arms are stationary – yet from every angle they present a different expression. Sometimes it’s “Ta Da!” or “Peace, brother.” This one’s my favorite, the humble “Oh, gosh, you want to paint little ol’ me?” look.

There’s a new Angry Birds theme park in Finland. Their version of the Bumble Bee Bop features the Big Brother bird from the game. Too cute!

"The Buzz" by Lesley Spanos. Acrylic painting on Multimedia Artboard, 9" x 11". Copyright ©2011 Lesley Spanos, all rights reserved. NFS

It seems like months since these happy little bees rolled into the state fairgrounds on the back of a truck, but really, it was just over two weeks ago. My husband was over at fairgrounds as the carnival rides were arriving for the fair, and snapped some photos of the unassembled Bumble Bee Bop ride  – the cutest ride in the world – knowing I’d jump at the chance to paint it.  I got to work on it right away,  but then the Fair started, and I put it aside as I went into information gathering mode. I only get eighteen days to gather reference material for the rest of the year, so I have to make the most of it. I shot – and organized – thousands of photos and hours of video. I sketched, and took notes for my book. Sometimes I just sat and soaked up the atmosphere. I love the fair.

Last Saturday morning, the weather was gorgeous and moods were light. Someone was playing classic rock from the ’70s over the PA system, and people were singing to themselves. Bye, bye, Miss American Pie, and welcome to the Hotel California.  I saw one woman dancing in the street, and I swear, if the rest of us felt we could sing and dance we would’ve joined her in an impromptu performance. I watched weiner dog races, a pole vaulting demonstration, and the Governor’s wife as she lead a fitness walk around the grounds. It was one of the best mornings ever at the fair.

That evening, everything changed. Just before Sugarland went onstage for their show, the roof at the main concert stage collapsed in a sudden freak storm, killing 5 6 people and injuring dozens.  I had planned to be there that night, but after long back-to-back photo sessions the night before and that morning, I was exhausted, and after a few days at the fair, the cupboard was bare. So instead of going to the fair, I went to the supermarket. On my way out of the store, I was caught in the storm, and I can say firsthand that the wind was utterly freakish. It came out of nowhere, and was strong enough to rock my Jeep. It wasn’t a storm, but a hammer blow from the sky.

The fair was cancelled Sunday, so all we could do was watch the sad news on television.  Monday, the fair reopened, but I didn’t go. I had planned to shoot the rodeo that day, but every event scheduled for the grandstand – the rodeo, concerts, harness racing, demolition derby, and fireworks – was cancelled. So I worked on the Bumble Bee Bop painting. I thought the bees would lift my mood, but really, I was annoyed at them for being so cheerful. That’s probably why it took me so long to finish them.

This week I’ve been forced to think about what my State Fair USA project is about. I thought it was all fun, rides, cute animals, and junk food, but maybe I need to dig deeper than that. Someone on the news called the State Fair a “family reunion in Indiana’s back yard.” As a non-native observer, I’d never thought of it that way. Now I feel the need to work more relationships into my paintings.

Here are some shots from yesterday. Due to the ongoing investigation, the roof has not been moved, so it’s a constant reminder of the tragedy.

The band Sugarland lost all their gear in the accident, and had to leave their trailers behind. Thursday they were able to retrieve some of it, but this trailer remained. Their logo and graphics are the best, ever.

Two tragedies: The Pepsi Coliseum looms over the broken stage at the Indiana state fairgrounds. During an Ice Capades performance in 1963, a propane explosion killed 74 people in the Coliseum. On the plus side, The Beatles performed in both locations.

A growing memorial under the grandstand.

"Dusk on the Midway" by Lesley Spanos. Acrylic painting on Ampersand Aquabord, 6" x 6". Copyright ©2011 Lesley Spanos, all rights reserved.

Dusk is my favorite time to photograph the midway. As blue skies deepen, the lights begin to sparkle. The hot, humid day gives way to cooling breezes, and the grandstand pulses to the beat of an American Idol. There’s a little extra excitement in the air. We’re going to have some fun tonight!

This is my first experience using Ampersand Aquabord. (Not a misspelling. Ampersand calls all their boards “‘bord.”) As the name implies, this surface designed for water media. I picked up some on sale, thinking if I hated it I could always use it to mount prints or paper. But I liked it. With some more experience, I think I could do some cool things on this surface. The gesso is absorbent, like paper, so I used that to my advantage for the initial soft washes (first image, below). When the background was dry, I sealed it with binder medium so the “bord” wouldn’t be quite so absorbent as I painted subsequent layers. I’m not ready to give up my beloved Gessobord, but it’s nice to have options.

Some paintings gradually come into focus as elements are layered into the scene. This is one of them. I’ve watched this carnival being built from the asphalt up, and I’ve painted it in much the same way. Here are a few images I saved along the way:

"Rivalry" by Lesley Spanos. Acrylic painting on Ampersand Gessobord, 5 x 7". Copyright ©2011 Lesley Spanos, all rights reserved.

Their trappings are bright and colorful, yet their faces are frozen in eternal screams. I can hear them when I paint them. Yet in all my hours photographing carousels, I’ve never seen a child shy away from them.

This is a warmup sketch for a larger painting. Lately my painting has been too timid and still, so my goal was to forget the preliminary drawing, throw some paint around, and have faith that in the end it would work.

Here are some photos taken along the way:

"Bumble Bee Bop" by Lesley Spanos. Acrylic painting on Ampersand Gessobord, 5 x 7". Copyright ©2011 Lesley Spanos, all rights reserved.

Bumble Bee Bop. I love that name! It sounds like something adult bees do to make baby bees. It’s actually a kiddie ride found in carnivals and small amusement parks. Those goofy, cheerful bees have been calling to my paintbrushes for some time now.

If you want to see photos of this painting in progress, hit the “read more” button.

"The Palladium" by Lesley Spanos. Acrylic painting on Multimedia Artboard, 9 x 12". Copyright ©2011 Lesley Spanos, all rights reserved.

This is the newly built Palladium, a 1600 seat concert hall in Carmel-by-the-Interstate, Indiana. Those of you who remember your art history might notice its resemblance to Andrea Palladio’s (1508-1580) La Rotunda. Palladio was also influential in the field of theater design as the architect of the Olympic Theater, which still stands in Vicenza. The Palladium combines aspects of both designs. It’s a graceful monument to the arts built of limestone, tile,  marble, and plaster.

Last week I attended a PBS taping of a Micheal Feinstein special there, and felt inspired to paint it. My husband provided a photo taken on his iphone.

The interior of The Palladium