GIFFORDS CIRCUS
Since 2015, I have been an in-house traditional signwriter for Giffords Circus, a magical 1930s style village-green circus which tours The Cotswolds and London every summer.
Over the past ten seasons, I have undertaken traditional signwriting, lining and design work on their wagons, lorries, on set design for their shows and one-off commissions.
Traditional Signwriting
Lining
Decorative & Set Design
Signage Design & Production
background & research
Giffords Circus’ ethos of tradition and showmanship aligns with my values and is reflected in the established working relationship between us. Working with both their branding and creatively, I am predominantly responsible for elevating their heritage vehicles - living wagons - and transport - lorries - using their iconic colour scheme of duck-egg blue and bright red to create a traditional aesthetic for the public to experience, one that is reminiscent of a 1930’s travelling circus.
the process
Working by hand using no tape, I have decorated many wagons and lorries in the ten years she’s worked for Giffords Circus. Some of my favourites include: signwriting the tent trailers ahead of the ‘Avalon’ show (2024); recreating the giant ‘Circus Sauce’ pig logo for the ‘Les Enfants Du Paradis’ show (2023); adding scrollwork to many lorries during ‘Carpa’ (2022); ’The Bath House’ wagon painted during ‘The Hooley’ season (2021); production of signs for ‘The Flying Sauce’ (2020); the ‘Wigs, Make-Up and Sequins’ lorry, debuting in the ‘Xanadu season (2019); a ‘Candyfloss’ wagon for the ‘My Beautiful Circus’ show (2018); lining out Nell’s original 40ft showman’s wagon during the ‘Any Port in a Storm’ season (2017); a trio of Victorian mirrors for ‘The Painted Wagon’ show (2016); and a golden ’T’ for Tweedy the Clown’s costume when he was shot out of a canon in ‘Moon Songs’ (2015).
