Art of the Day: Connecticut Fair Midway by Tracy Powers

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Art of the Day: Connecticut Fair Midway by Tracy Powers

September 17, 2012 by Tricia

It’s fair season in Connecticut as well as at the First Street Gallery in New York’s Chelsea art district, where Tracy Powers is showing paintings of whirling amusement rides and games flashed with prizes. Of course the subject matter caught our interest right away. Seeing the show evoked strong memories of working games on the Connecticut fair circuit as a child. Wolcott Fair, which is the artist’s muse, was last month, but the Guilford Fair is coming up this weekend, followed by the Durham, Harwinton, Berlin and Riverton Fairs.

While sideshow and circus subjects are popular among artists, it’s rare to see rides and games like the Rock N Roll and the Whac-A-Mole depicted in works of art. Powers is an empathetic observer of fair-goers and workers alike. There are also some very charming six inch square oil studies of a Scrambler, a carousel and a Teacup ride.

Tracy Powers, Utopia, through September 29, 2012. First Street Gallery, 526 West 26th St, New York, NY. 646-336-8053