This is a painting of the interior of the 'Big Top' of Billy Smart's Circus during a reheasal. I did this during my final year at the Laird School of Art when the circus visited Birkenhead way back in 1956. All the final year students had to exhibit their work in the Williamson Art Gallery, and this is one of the works I put in for it. It actually got a write-up in the local news paper with the title "Circus reminder", because it was of local interest. I still have that cutting! Painted at the art school using the sketches done on site. It's painted entirely using palette knives. I thought it would be of interest to show here the actual newspaper cutting. I entered this painting a few years ago for our annual Wirral Society of Arts exhibition at the Williamson art gallery and museum, and I was greatly honoured when the gallery purchased this painting for their permanent collection!