A group of clowns at Cherry Koch’s clown karaoke birthday celebration at The Embassy. Photo by Jess Morgan.

Various arts experiences featuring clowns, mimes, jesters and circus-inspired shenanigans are having a moment in the Twin Ports arts scene. Some of those fools happen to be on the payroll at Perfect Duluth Day, which makes it the perfect journalistic inside-job for a feature marking the 10-year anniversary of PDD’s Selective Focus arts feature.

Yes, it’s been 10 years since the first Selective Focus was published on Nov. 21, 2014. The series started as a showcase of photography on different themes, but later expanded to include artist profiles. It’s PDD’s most voluminous recurring feature, this post being number 422. And finally, after a decade, we explore the realm of clowns, jesters and mimes.

Between clown-themed parties, clown-inspired drag performances, a “Three Ring Goose Circus,” attendees at clown school, poets juggling many hats in jester-like fashion, stain-glass artists capturing favorite childhood memories and more, the Twin Ports have been leaning into clowns! Below are other artists who have embraced various forms of clowning around, and what some of them have to say when asked about their motivation for including these silly characters into their art.

A clown-inspired drag performance by Sissy Smores.

“I love dressing as a clown, (and clowns in general) and embracing the clowning spirit because it allows for myself to let forth my goofy side and it inspires others to do the same, which is something we all need nowadays,” said Sissy Smores.

Stained-glass art created by Annmarie Geniusz, displayed at the recent North Shorror event at the Depot. Photo by Jess Morgan.

Annmarie Geniusz drew inspiration from childhood nostalgia when creating the stained-glass clown piece in the photo above. “I grew up in Wisconsin near Circus World Museum,” she said. “So it was always a constant summer plot of ‘how can we get to circus world.'” Geniusz‘s work was showcased in a Selective Focus feature in 2020.

Izabella Zadra drums in full clown mode with the Eveleth Clown Band, performing in this photo at the 2023 Two Harbors Heritage Days Parade. Photo by Paul Lundgren.

Photo contributed by Izabella Zadra. Peep that Perfect Duluth Day sticker on the drum.

Perfect Duluth Day Calendar Editor Izabella Zadra said she loves being a woman in clowning. “It’s so freeing to hang out with people who feel like family,” she said. “We are always making music, making jokes and making great memories. It’s just so fun to be goofy and it always puts a smile on the faces of others.”

Clowns and Hamms… Hamms and clowns! Contributed by Izabella Zadra.

Drag performers Sissy Smores and Baby Cakes in clown-core fits.

Drawing by Kat Niemi.

A clown collage contributed by Kat Niemi.

“Being a clown has made it easier to not take life too seriously, to laugh at myself and feel joy even when my clown makeup is painted to represent the sadness I feel inside. It’s armor as I already feel like a painting in a museum; artwork that’s not meant for everyone,” said Kat Niemi. “Something many people ponder but may never really understand. To be a clown is to be free.”

Kat Niemi wearing an outfit, clown make-up, and surrounded by pinks, purples and white tones, colors often found in their outfits and visual art.

The above photo is a self-portrait by Cherry Koch. More of her art can be found in a 2022 Selective Feature post.

Another photo from Cherry Koch’s clown karaoke birthday party. Photo by Jess Morgan.

Taken at Cherry Koch’s clown karaoke birthday party. Photo by Jess Morgan.

Drawing by Sabrina Wertman, capturing the Three Ring Goose Circus. The whole crew features Alyssa Lucas as Bix the Clown (top), Henry Kneiszel (middle) and Jess Morgan (bottom). More of Wertman’s drawings can be found at sabrinawertman.com.

Jess Morgan and Henry Kneiszel clowning around after a Goose Circus performance in Ely.

Cherry Koch applying clown make-up to Henry Kneiszel at a clown party. Photo by Jess Morgan

A sad, sad clown portrait of Alyssa Lucas (otherwise known as Bix the Clown) taken at Cherry Koch’s clown karaoke party. Photo by Jess Morgan.

Since I was a little kid, I have always been drawn to clowns and circus tricks,” says Alyssa Lucas. “I remember being more enamored by sideshow clowns than the circus itself, and since then I’ve known that I wanted to be a performer.”

Alyssa Lucas performing at the 2024 ReneGAY comedy showcase at Zeitgeist. Photo by Danielle Thralow.

Lucas appears as Bix the Clown the Three Ring Goose Circus. About performing, they expresed, “I love clowning for many reasons, but most importantly to me, clowning is a vessel for self-expression without the shame of being perceived attached to it. I can be who I want to be and do what I want to do without the fear of being judged or behaving wrong, and as an autistic person that is a precious resource. Being surrounded by joy, surprise, and delight is a very healing form of self and community love, and I’m proud to provide that service to my peers in these trying times.”

Artwork by Henry Kneiszel, made out of duct tape.

“I love play and the surreal, and clowns fit right into that space,” said Henry Kneiszel. “The iconic feature of a clown is choosing to embrace a departure from what is ‘normal’ and ‘common’ for the sake of joy. I think the shifting views of the ‘other’ necessarily have an effect on clowns in culture. It’s part of why I find the ‘sad clown’ and to a greater extent the ‘horror clown’ to be shallow ideas long since played out. I think the idea that benign difference must be indicative of either profound sadness or a predatory nature is boring, unrealistic and ultimately harmful.”

Another art piece made by Henry Kneiszel, made with duct tape and an exacto knife.

“The parallel with queer and neurodivergent people is obvious,” says Kneizsel. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’re seeing a positive shift in the culture around clowns as queer and neurodivergent identities are de-stigmatized and even celebrated. In my art, clowns aren’t evil, sad, stupid or even typical jesters. My clowns are reflections of the artists around me: unique humans living authentically in a world that is somehow both deeply absurd and oppressively mundane.”

Poster from a clown-themed punk DIY show and crafting event at Casa Lasagna.

Bird, a punk artist in Duluth performing at the Rabbit Hole. Photo by Aaron Reichow.

Cherry and Taylor wearing hand-made clown hats at a clown-themed event. Photo contributed by Tekhla Edwards.

A photo contributed by
Tekhla Edwards (pictured on the left) taken at a Casa Lasanga clown event.

Bird performing punk music at DIY venue called Casa Lasagna. Photo contributed by Tekhla Edwards.

Bird with a face full of clown make-up.

The above clown character was created by Masha Conner. More of her artwork can be found in a 2023 Selective Focus.

A drawing created by Jaymii Wilde (Instagram: @jaymiiwilde1998) of Jess Morgan juggling hats as a jester. The drawing can be found on the back of Morgan’s poetry book, “Too Many Hats.”

From left to right: Annmarie Geniusz , Bryan Thao Worra, Jess Morgan and Henry Kneiszel in costume at the Smelt Felt parade in 2023.

A clown-core smelt fish costume at the annual
Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe parade in 2023. Photo by Jess Morgan.