Happy clowns: a natural fit at any fair!

Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover:

It’s that time again! The Indiana State Fair is an annual celebration of Hoosier pride, farming, food, and 4-H, with amusement park rides, cooking demos, concerts by musicians either nearly or formerly popular, and farm animals competing for cash prizes without their knowledge. My wife Anne and I attend each year as a date-day to seek new forms of creativity and imagination within a local context…

But then four days later we drove once more out to the east side and enjoyed a 4-hour whirlwind do-over. Among other Tuesday oversights, we’d failed to brake for the basement of the Indiana Arts Building, an entire bonus section of paintings and other arts vying for ribbons and renown.

PSYCHEDELIC COW COMIN’ AT YA!

Comparatively calm but pretty bird menagerie.

Priced to sell together or separately, but far more effective as a diptych.

Among the show’s Best of Show purple-ribbon winners. The one at left is indeed a painting, not a photo.

Another Best of Show winner, which would make a great cover if DC ever gave King Shark his own series.

Another work of strong fantasy contrasts from the not-King-Shark painter.

Homer and Marge as a familiar pastiche, doubly fun after our visit to see the original American Gothic in Chicago back in May.

A declaration of principle in the eternal struggle between fate and free will.

…buh?

I am Groot!

Adventures in Disney™ blockbusters.

What if Disney™ but more fabulous.

What if Disney™ but fabulously fatal.

To be concluded! Other chapters in this very special miniseries:

Part 1: Our Year in Food
Part 2: The Heroes Theme
Part 3: The Marvel/DC CAN-ematic Universe
Part 4: Cake Bosses
Part 5: The Art of the Fair
Part 6: Random Acts of State Fairing
Encore Part 1: 2 Fair 2 Food
Encore Part 3: Last Day, Last Call