Mel Wiken American New Orleans Female Artist Oil Painting Mardi-Gras Image Signed . Oil painting by Mel Wiken; New Orleans clown; SLL, dated 1971; 16 x12; 24 1/2 x 20 1/2 framed.
I was very interested to see that painting. It was done during a very prolific time, and is one of what I call my "potboilers". Back then there were numerous little galleries around the French Quarter that sold works by local artists, and I enjoyed a great deal of popularity during that time. I sold everything I painted, and I was able to let the creative juices really flow. I did a lot of things off the top of my head, and sometimes would just start painting something and see where it led.....and this is one of those paintings. I probably just painted a background, and then got interested in working on some perspective, hence the brick wall. Then, I probably decided it needed to have a flute player, because I had a friend who played the recorder late into the night and I could hear it from my apartment. The building I lived in was an old mansion on Esplanade Ave that had been converted into 18 separate units, furnished, pay by the week. Many artists and artisans, musicians and odd fellows came and went through that place during the five years I lived there. It burned to the ground about three years ago. Many fond memories were held within that wonderful old place. Many of my dearest and oldest friendships were made there, and we all mourned the loss of what had become a monument to some really fun years. Your painting brought a lot of that good time back to me and I certainly enjoyed seeing it. It either paid the rent or supported a mad night of revelry in the French Quarter. More likely the latter than the former.....

24.5 x 20.5 in