Here are a few images of J.B. Holdren, better known as Bardo the Clown, in his store and workshop on Sunday, Sept. 19 at the Kansas State Fair. In addition to doing his own carvings, Bardo paints all the signs, backdrops, and props for the fair every year. He lives year-round in a trailer on the fairgrounds and has been a part of the Kansas State Fair for 65 consecutive years. Although he sometimes claims to be as old as 118, he keeps his actual age a closely guarded secret.
I wish I would have had more time to spend with him at the fair, but due to a pretty tight schedule, I only fit in basically one morning. It was a lot of fun hanging out with him during the time I had though.
-Pat
3 comments:
Love how you almost make the man disappear. He becomes swept up in a sea of storage color. While the second shot is my favorite for highlighting these aspects - the close-up gives the most intricacy in lighting. Really intimate shots. Keep it up.
You always end with "I wish I had more time with..." Me too. There seems to be a big story behind each photo. Nice work.
Bardo is amazing man. His memory is fading, and he is slowing down a bit now, but in the 5 years that we have been visiting with him, we have heard stories, mostly true, from when he was a young man. He is an amazing painter and carver. We have been buying Carousel Horses from him, he even carved one that he had not carved in years, because it was so hard for him to do, for my wife. She told him that if he ever carved another, she wanted it. 2 days later he called and wanted us to come down, he had something to show us.
I was thrilled to find your blog and pictures.
Paul
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