Joby Carter to host a second Signwriting Sunday event on Sunday 24th March 2024

Joby Carter creating hand painted lettering. (Image supplied by Joby Carter)

Joby Carter is set to host a second ‘Signwriting Sunday’ event on Sunday 24th March 2024.

Following the success of his first Signwriting Sunday event in December 2023, Joby Carter, decorative artist and owner of Carters Steam Fair, will be opening the doors to his White Waltham workshop for a second ‘Signwriting Sunday’ event on Sunday 24th March 2024.

The event aims to showcase traditional skills to anyone interested in letterforms and typography and anyone who appreciates old fashioned skills and heritage crafts. With guest signwriters in attendance, the event is an opportunity to see traditional skills in action and to talk to those involved with signwriting as a profession.

As well as seeing signwriters painting in a variety of different styles of lettering, visitors can also stock up on signwriting supplies from Joby Carter’s
range of professional signwriting supplies which includes brushes, palettes, mahl sticks and paints. Joby’s two popular signwriting books will be on sale as well as his unique fine art prints and hand painted letters.

At this event Joby will be joined by Michell da Silva from @dasilva.signs, a Maidenhead based signwriter who previously completed Joby’s traditional signwriting course. Michell is a professional signwriter using traditional skills to create a range of designs, many of which can be seen on shop fascia’s, display boards and signs around Maidenhead and the surrounding area. You can see his work at Rio Deli cafe in Maidenhead library, outside Grilled Grub in the High Street and in the Windsor Guildhall on the mayor’s honors board.

A recent graduate from Joby’s traditional signwriting course will also be present.

Alongside the signwriting event there will also be the opportunity for fans of Carters Steam Fair to have a short yard tour at 10.00am where Joby will talk about the restoration work taking place on vintage vehicles ready for their new owners. They will also be able to see the new artwork for the 1930s Jungle Ark Thriller ride which is being repainted with the new owners name. Carters Steam Fair memorabilia including publicity posters and original drawings used to create artwork at the fair will be available to buy.

With over 30 years experience in the field of traditional signwriting, Joby has become a spokesperson for the craft and he has given talks on signwriting and its place in folk art at universities and art schools.

Joby said: ‘The first Signwriting Sunday event was a huge success, and it was a great way to celebrate the craft. I’ve always been very open to encouraging more people to learn about signwriting. Upskilling others adds to the whole signwriting community. If you show people how traditional signwriting is created, it makes them appreciate it and value it even more, which encourages the craft even more.

I learned in the early 1990s when it was going out of fashion and not many were learning the skills, but now it’s back in vogue, people love it.

I feel quite duty bound to share these skills. I was very lucky that I was shown how to signwrite so now I’m more than happy to encourage new people to signwrite and keep the traditional skills alive.

I know that people are sad that the fair is no longer touring, but I now have more time to dedicate to championing these traditional skills to a global audience. I’ve had people fly in from Hong Kong, Canada, the Netherlands and other countries to complete my traditional signwriting courses. I see it as my job to do whatever I can do to help keep signwriting skills alive. Some people may do it as a profession, some do it as a hobby, but long may it continue and carry on. If I can be just a little part of that then I’m very happy to encourage it.‘

Event details

• The event runs from 10.00am to 4.00pm with free entry for all.
• At 10.00am Joby will host the yard tour.
• Throughout the day visitors will be able to watch live signwriting demonstrations from Joby and other signwriters.
• Location: Carters Yard, Grove Park Industrial Estate, Waltham Road, White Waltham, Maidenhead, SL6 3JF.

Further information is available by following Joby Carter on Instagram @joby.carter or on his website jobycarter.com or in the following post on the Joby Carter website https://jobycarter.com/signwriting-sunday-24-march-a-new-opportunity-to-discover-traditional-skills/.

*Source of article : Press release from Joby Carter.