Dr Amy Goodwin - Traditional Signwriter

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I was recently awarded a Practice-Led PhD for my work re-establishing the identities of five fairground females from the Twentieth Century (two of which were from the West Country). Over the four years I undertook this doctoral enquiry whilst working full-time as a traditional signwriter and lecturer, and feel pretty proud of the balancing trick I pulled off to do so – however I feel that the greater achievement is that these five women's life-stories are now collated and archived, and won't be lost.

What motivates you to do what you do?

A passion for both the craft of traditional signwriting and for the preservation – and thus, restoration – of steam fairgrounds and heritage motivates my working practice. My work is heavily influenced from growing up with travelling steam fairgrounds in the West Country – the elaborate and visual typography, flamboyant colours and meticulous lines – and this is reflected in the work I create, using traditional methods, by hand with no tape or digital assistance. There is always a new technique to learn with signwriting which inspires me to continue to push on with it. 

In regards to the PhD work, this has now manifested into an archive in its own entirety: there is a strong passion for continuing to collating these stories, of other fairground females, to expand the work – the motivation is concerned with it being recognised as a space of importance, of history: the only archive of its kind, solely about travelling fairground women.  

What do you owe your grandmother?

My love of routine, my ability to work hard, and a sense of home. 

Which women inspire you and why?

The five ladies I now think of as 'mine', who I researched, wrote and made work about for the PhD, inspire me in a multitude of ways. In the 20th Century they were some of the first businesswomen: running a fairground, a (travelling) home & a family, but hidden from view. One was a suffragette, one was one of the first women to buy a steam engine, one left her husband and ran a fairground on her own, one did munitions work in World War One, and one had "a booming voice which delivered colourful language in a fruity West Country accent". They were all very inspiring. 

What are you reading?

I've recently discovered 'Silver Press', a feminist publisher, and am (slowly) making my way through the works they've published: I'm currently reading 'Talking to Women', by Nell Dunn, and have just finished 'Your Silence Will Not Protect You', by Audre Lorde. At the same time I'm also enjoying the graphic novel 'Mongrel' by Sayra Begum, which covers matters such as immigration, racism and the impact of a mixed-heritage relationship. 

What gender barriers have you had to hurdle?

I often get asked if I'm going to be "okay painting up a ladder"... I got over the hurdle by finding an old ladder once used in Falmouth Docks – it has this lovely patina on it and now some nice signwriting on each side. Now I'm very happy working up a ladder, in fact I often prefer to be up this ladder. 

How can the world be made a better place for women?

This is a huge question! Where to start? Better education, better representation, better opportunities, more equality, more conversation, for women to be heard... (the list could go on).

Describe your perfect day?

An early morning in my studio signwriting, a sea swim and brunch out, back to the studio for the afternoon to work, then either fish & chips with a G+T on the beach, or an evening at a steam fair or travelling circus. 

We've noticed there really aren't many (if any) statues of women around Cornwall - who would you see remembered?

 A statue of Rowena Cade in Porthcurno, one of Stella Turk in Camborne, and one of Selina Cooper in Callington – in fact, a female statue in each Cornish town or village, remembering a female from that place, would be quite something!

Give us a tip?

An hour is the morning is worth two in the afternoon...and a cup of tea solves (almost) everything!

About Amy Dr. Amy Goodwin is a traditional signwriter and lecturer, based in Falmouth. Her work is heavily inspired by her upbringing travelling steam fairgrounds in the West Country and she now works predominantly in the fairground, circus and heritage industries. In 2020 she was awarded a Practice-Led PhD for her work re-establishing the identities of five Twentieth Century females, through the construction of a series of illustrated spaces in which signwriting was utilised to tell their stories. She currently teaches part-time on BA Illustration at Arts University Bournemouth.

https://www.a-goodwin.com/