FEATURED ARTICLES
Since 2019 I have been writing articles – both academic and reflective – for a range of publications. As a tangent to my signwriting practice, I see writing an article as an opportunity to draw together my research skills, knowledge of the signwriting craft, my academic practice and my own experiences, for wider audiences to (hopefully) encounter.
the journal of illustration, published by intellect
I have presented academic papers and written articles for ‘The Journal of Illustration’ since 2019, when they published my article ‘Signwriting: Ornament as visual language – communicative decoration’ (2019, Vol. 6, Issue. 2). In 2025/2026 I worked as co-editor, with Rachel Emily Taylor, on volume 13, the two-issue special ‘Illustration and Heritage’. This volume intended to examine the relationship between illustration and heritage by firstly ‘Sharing Histories’ (issue 1) and secondly, ‘Drawing out Futures (issue 2).
My article, ‘Exploring Heritage and Longevity: Taking up Space’ is published in issue 2, ‘Drawing out Futures, Illustration & Heritage’. This experimental article utilises writing and design as a method to explore how to prioritise the act of taking up space (following on from my doctoral study): through exploration of multiple voices and related emotions – the fairground females and my own – the article draws on fragments and absences (gaps) whilst simultaneously exploring the ways in which emotion can be introduced to communicate an act of care. In doing so I question if combining my academic voice with my personal experiences, through evolving my inside researcher position, can enact longevity for the archive as illustrated space.
companion magazine, published by gail’s bakery
In 2025 I was commissioned to write an article for the ‘Craft’ edition of ‘Companion’ magazine, published by Gail’s Bakery. The editor, Amanda Schiff, commissioned me to explore the relationship between (signwriting) craft and identity, specifically the importance of this relationship in the face of technological advancement. Schiff encouraged me to give space for my identity to be brought into question, asking: what impact does this identity have on my craft of traditional signwriting; how does this add a layer of authenticity; and how can this ensure continued value? Through exploring these questions, I angled the article to determine how identity – both personal story and in relation to technological advancement – has the potential to not just underpin my craft but direct its (and my) future.
To accompany the article, Schiff commissioned me to produce phrases from the article using my signwriting practice. ‘Wonder’, ‘Illuminate’ and ‘Gleaming Paintwork’ were then reproduced in print as part of the publication.
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