Hello and welcome to my first blog update! I am so excited to have you all along for the ride. I have been in the throes of conducting research on drag, costume design, and clownery. Under the references tab I will have a running list of the sources of my research. If you are interested in doing any more reading, I will have that posted soon!

I have been working on coming up with my clown drag persona that will inform the costume design. I originally intended to have the renderings for the costume complete by now, but in my research I have realized that the processes of creating the character and designing the costume need to be a bit more simultaneous because of how the character informs every aspect of the costume. Renderings will be completed by the next update so be on the lookout!

Alongside conducting research, I have been journaling about my queer experience, looking for aspects of my own story and relationship to queerness to be inspiration for my drag clown. This week I'll be conducting my first solo movement workshop to start bringing this character to life and developing my movement vocabulary for my final presentation.

Over winter break I have been reading a book called Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett. It is about a 28-year-old lesbian clown who is struggling to make it in the clownery business. Watching Cherry (the main character) navigate her complicated relationship to clowning has offered inspiration and essentially a how-to manual for developing clown personas. I have not yet completed the book, but so far I recommend it if you are interested in lesbian clowns.