Pegasus
acrylic on unstretched canvas
approximately 70” x 70”
approximately 70” x 70”
Pegasus is painted in the style and mode of the sideshow banners of the 1930’s through 1950’s era. It’s a real banner and hangs loose by the metal grommets. Although the colors are bright, it has the appearance of having faded somewhat, revealing the brushstrokes.
Painted onto the banner is an original story about Pegasus the horse, Nellie (her rider), Siegfried the Magician (Nellie’s boyfriend) and Jolly Rogers (a former fire eater). This banner is the centerpiece of the trio of banners featuring all of these characters. It’s readable on the banner. This photo is not high enough of a resolution to read it here, but you can read it on tbelow.
Vanishing Act
“This horse will die,” warned the doctor, “if she dives again. I know she’s special to you Nell, but there’s nothing I can do.”
Jeff "Jolly" Rogers, owner of both horse and horse diving show, flashed his skull-like grin when Nellie told him the grim news. "Go ahead 'n quit if you want to, but Pegasus is gonna earn her way. If she don't, it's off to the glue factory, alive or dead. Your choice."
In tears, she ran across the blurry backlot and stopped behind a long trailer that read, "Siegfried the Magician: Featuring His Fabulous & Famous Shrink Ray!" At the open door she tried to see into the dark cavern through the mass of mystic equipment.
"Siggy?"
Pocus, the toy poodle scrambled to the doors to greet her followed by Siegfried, her rock, top hat in hand
"Say, diving diva, why the sad eyes?" When she told him, he dashed his magical hat to the ground. "Now he's gone too far."
Siegfried and Jolly Rogers, former friends, had worked together creating the diving platform. Siegfried designed and built most of it, intending to use it for his magic act, alternating with Jolly's horse diving show. Jolly's fire eating days were over (an unfortunate accident had left him breathless). He needed the new act. He needed Siegfried's building skills. When he didn't need Siggy anymore, he discarded him, cheating him out of his interest in the project. The built-in tricks in the platform went unused. The betrayal still burned.
Saturday afternoon, Jolly was in the ticket booth when he heard Siegfried's voice from the loud speakers, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this afternoon, a special event. Pegasus the Flying Horse with her beautiful pilot, Nellie, and Siegfried the Magician, famous for his fabulous Shrink Ray, will perform together for the first time ever." Jolly bolted towards the platform, pushing against the pressing crowd. He stopped to look with the rest of them when the recorded blast of horns announced Peggy's arrival on the platform, wings painted on her sides. Nellie, on Peg’s back, waved to the audience, who cheered in response. At the cliff edge of the platform, there was a flash of light and a brief cloud of smoke which quickly rose, revealing Siegfried the Magician, Shrink Ray in hand. The crowd ahhhed, then cheered. Jolly bullied his way through the crowd.
Nellie urged Peggy across the platform to just beyond arms length of Siegfried, who stood facing them, his back to the precipice. A recorded drum roll hushed the crowd. Siegfried slowly raised the gun until it was level with the white beast's chest. Green light flashed from the gun and smoke rose up, enveloping them. Peggy rose above it on her hind legs, then was swallowed by it. A breeze from the sea startled the cloud, then dispersed it, revealing Siegfried standing alone on the edge of the platform. The crowd cheered wildly. Siegfried silenced them with a grand gesture. In his free hand he held aloft a white object. He flung it into the air where it floated for a moment, then spread wings and flew away over the heads of the people and out to sea. Their heads turned to follow its flight and when they looked back, Siegfried was gone.
Rogers arrived at the back of the platform, but they weren't there. He looked out to the backlot, and Siegfried's big trailer was gone. He ran to the rear exit and peered down the gravel road, but all he could see in the bright glare of the sun was a smoky cloud of dust.
Jeff "Jolly" Rogers, owner of both horse and horse diving show, flashed his skull-like grin when Nellie told him the grim news. "Go ahead 'n quit if you want to, but Pegasus is gonna earn her way. If she don't, it's off to the glue factory, alive or dead. Your choice."
In tears, she ran across the blurry backlot and stopped behind a long trailer that read, "Siegfried the Magician: Featuring His Fabulous & Famous Shrink Ray!" At the open door she tried to see into the dark cavern through the mass of mystic equipment.
"Siggy?"
Pocus, the toy poodle scrambled to the doors to greet her followed by Siegfried, her rock, top hat in hand
"Say, diving diva, why the sad eyes?" When she told him, he dashed his magical hat to the ground. "Now he's gone too far."
Siegfried and Jolly Rogers, former friends, had worked together creating the diving platform. Siegfried designed and built most of it, intending to use it for his magic act, alternating with Jolly's horse diving show. Jolly's fire eating days were over (an unfortunate accident had left him breathless). He needed the new act. He needed Siegfried's building skills. When he didn't need Siggy anymore, he discarded him, cheating him out of his interest in the project. The built-in tricks in the platform went unused. The betrayal still burned.
Saturday afternoon, Jolly was in the ticket booth when he heard Siegfried's voice from the loud speakers, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this afternoon, a special event. Pegasus the Flying Horse with her beautiful pilot, Nellie, and Siegfried the Magician, famous for his fabulous Shrink Ray, will perform together for the first time ever." Jolly bolted towards the platform, pushing against the pressing crowd. He stopped to look with the rest of them when the recorded blast of horns announced Peggy's arrival on the platform, wings painted on her sides. Nellie, on Peg’s back, waved to the audience, who cheered in response. At the cliff edge of the platform, there was a flash of light and a brief cloud of smoke which quickly rose, revealing Siegfried the Magician, Shrink Ray in hand. The crowd ahhhed, then cheered. Jolly bullied his way through the crowd.
Nellie urged Peggy across the platform to just beyond arms length of Siegfried, who stood facing them, his back to the precipice. A recorded drum roll hushed the crowd. Siegfried slowly raised the gun until it was level with the white beast's chest. Green light flashed from the gun and smoke rose up, enveloping them. Peggy rose above it on her hind legs, then was swallowed by it. A breeze from the sea startled the cloud, then dispersed it, revealing Siegfried standing alone on the edge of the platform. The crowd cheered wildly. Siegfried silenced them with a grand gesture. In his free hand he held aloft a white object. He flung it into the air where it floated for a moment, then spread wings and flew away over the heads of the people and out to sea. Their heads turned to follow its flight and when they looked back, Siegfried was gone.
Rogers arrived at the back of the platform, but they weren't there. He looked out to the backlot, and Siegfried's big trailer was gone. He ran to the rear exit and peered down the gravel road, but all he could see in the bright glare of the sun was a smoky cloud of dust.