Amy Goodwin

2016 QEST Scholar - Traditional Sign Painting
Cornwall

Growing up spending summers travelling with a steam fairground has heavily influenced Amy’s practice as a traditional signwriter and fairground artist. Subsequently, the traditions and heritage of the fairground are reflected in both the commissions she undertakes and her own practice.

All Amy’s signwriting work is undertaken using traditional methods: by hand, using no tape nor digital assistance. Whilst predominantly working in the fairground, circus and steam heritage industry, notable clients include: Quadrille Press, Netflix’s The Crown, Taylor’s of Harrogate, Penhaligon’s Perfumery and Smythsons.

Amy became a QEST Scholar in 2016 when she received funding in support of her Practice-Led PhD (completed in 2020). This PhD re-establishes the identities of fairground females through the construction of an archive as illustrated space: holding traditional signs which tell stories of the females. Her PhD enquiry is informed by both her fairground upbringing and experience working as a traditional signwriter. She is currently working with a publisher to translate this PhD work into an illustrated book publication.

 

My decision to become a fairground signwriter was confirmed following my first ‘official’ season working on the fairground (at 13). Working on a ‘cork shooter’ side stall, gluing matchboxes to a shelf so the public couldn’t knock them off and win, I realised I’d much rather be holding a paintbrush!

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