Outside The Box Gallery Wrap
$414.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
There’s a playful theatricality the moment you meet these three figures — each posture feels like a little performance. The central clown’s turned back and lifted hand suggests a mischievous exchange, while the two flanking figures lean in with exaggerated hips and bent knees that make their costumes feel alive. James Christensen’s palette delights: patchwork florals, stripes and rich jewel tones sit against a pale, textured ground so the costumes read like stage sets against quiet wallpaper. Small, whimsical details — a fish bobbing above one head, a butterfly near the center, a bird perched on the right figure — add humor and a sense of narrative without resolving it. The overall mood is buoyant and affectionate; these are not menacing clowns but exaggerated, tender caricatures whose personality comes through in their gestures and the lovingly patterned surfaces. It’s a piece that warms a room with wit and character, offering a smile each time you pass by.
The Artwork
About Three Clowns
Three Clowns Limited Edition Canvas
I painted this around the same time as "Faith, Hope and Charity" and they are both large-format decorative paintings. Clowns, jesters and hunchbacks are wonderful subjects to paint. Their every movement is exaggerated and their costumes are intentionally loud and silly.
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
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About the Collection
James Christensen (1942–2017) was a visionary fantasy artist known for his whimsical paintings that blend mythological storytelling with magical realism. His work, inspired by Renaissance art and surrealism, features imaginative characters, intricate details, and symbolic elements such as floating fish, which represent wisdom and wonder. Christensen’s unique artistic voice brought to life fairy tales, fables, and medieval-inspired dreamscapes, making his fine art prints and collectible fantasy artwork highly sought after. His ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary continues to captivate art collectors and dreamers alike.
Artist Signature
Signed by the artist
This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by James Christensen.
Authorized Source
Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
It is with deep regret and profound sadness that The Collection Shop announces the passing of artist James C. Christensen on Sunday, January 8, 2017.
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
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