Lake Placid, Florida...the Town of Murals
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| Toby's First Clown Class |
The mural is 60' wide by 15' high. In 1980, Keith Stokes, aka Toby, started practicing the art of clowning at Lake Placid Hospital, where he went to entertain the patients and staff. In 1982, his brand of Clown Medicine began to take hold and other hospitals started requesting his talent. He was having health problems of his own and just couldn't handle the demand, and there were no other clowns in Highlands County. In 1991, he decided he needed to teach the art of clowning. This mural depicts his first clown school. There were 6 graduates of that first class. His school grew rapidly and in 2010, over 1,500 clowns, ages 8 to 96, have graduated from his school. With more and more graduates, Toby started Toby's Clown Alley, which is chartered with Clowns of America International. The building where this mural appears is now the American Clown Museum, the only known one in the USA.
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| Toby's Clown School |
This mural shows the 3 different clowns - Auguste (German), White Face (English) and Hobo (American). There are 3 clowns who live in Lake Placid, a town which boasts more clowns per capita than any other town in Florida. The mural is 7' wide by 13' high.
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| The Art of Clowning |
This mural is 30' wide by 9' high.
The student clown has to decide which of the 3 types of clowns they will become. Auguste, White Face, or Tramp/Hobo. They get individualized attention in selecting their one-of-a-kind outfit, learn to apply their own makeup. They also learn magic acts, balloon sculpting, puppetry and skits. During the months of January through April, you will often find 5 or more clowns walking the streets to greet visitors to the murals.
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| One of the clown benches that can be found around town. |
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Another clown bench...I am not particularly crazy about clowns, but...
I was willing to sacrifice for the sake of the photograph! |
24 comments:
I am not crazy for clowns, either. But those benches are really cool and I bet those hospital patients really appreciate the non-medical attention.
These photos and murals are fantastic. Clowns were always my favourite part of the circus.
Not a big clown-fan here either, but this artwork is really amazing! Great to see you in the picture too, Linda! :)
Incredible artwork....it's nice that the clowns visit patients; sometimes a laugh is the VERY best medicine!
Pam (and Sam)
Awesome murals....Clowns are an important part of our culture here in the USA.
I for one, LOVE clowns. Sorry....but I do.
I'm sure glad you decided to sit along side the clown on the bench...that is a mighty sweet photo.
ps....love your spiritual Sunday post below this one also....it's been raining off and on here too. Another storm is moving in...I'm not complaining.
LOL...you have the look of "you touch me, I'll smack you!!" Great murals and the bench seats are a pretty cool idea.
Personally, I prefer rodeo clowns ;~)
isn't it funny how we have such an aversion to clowns? yet, they do have a real art/talent to them. beautiful murals.
Oh you are brave Linda, clowns are SCARY, I know they're not meant to be..it's all Stephen King's fault haha!
These murals are really spectacular. Love the small one with the three clowns. Wonderful story as well. Appreciate the history, and your sacrifice :-)
These murals are really spectacular. Love the small one with the three clowns. Wonderful story as well. Appreciate the history, and your sacrifice :-)
i gather so much cheer and happy vibes with these murals, must be the clowns :)
Hey, these are fun! They must certainly make people smile!
I never knew all that about clowns! I once knew a girl who was terrified of clowns, and passed up a sweet job opportunity because her would-be boss's office was decorated in a "clown motif".
Fabulous! What a town that must be - so colourful.
These murals are very well done. Toby must be proud of the success of his enterprise. And hospital patients around the country are the beneficiaries of his eforts. BTW, fear of clowns is called "coulrophobia." I'm not afraid of them but they do creep me out a little. The murals, however, are charming and tell an interesting story. Thanks for participating in this week's Monday Mural.
What wonderful murals these are, Linda, and you have captured them so well! I think the last photo of you and the clown is great!
This would be a really cool place to visit. Awesome murals. Clowns. Awesome photos.
Such a great guy, just like "Patch Adams".
The mural is so neat and well preserved!
FUN pics!
I have always loved clowns.
I wasn't sure what I was having with my second child and the room had red carpet that we couldn't afford to change. I decorated the room in clowns. It was complete with a cross-stitched wall hanging that I did myself.
My daughter never said anything until she was almost a teenager - she hated clowns. :)
Linda nice to see your picture at the end of the post and I thought it was funny when you said you weren't crazy about clowns. Clown are not my favorite thing either. But I have enjoyed your captures of these murals!
It's a heart-warming story about Toby and the murals are fun and well done. Yet isn't it interesting that so many of us here are not "clown" people? I didn't like them as a kid either.
I'm with Hootin Anni! I love clowns also. What a wonderful group of captures you have here.
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