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Since he was a young lad, artist Curtis Tappenden has been drawn to the magic of the circus.
Growing up in Strood, he would climb to the top of Broomhill and with binoculars watch the big top and stages going up over the river at Jackson’s Fields in Rochester.
Eventually in the mid 1970s, he persuaded his parents to take him to a circus at Mote Park, Maidstone. And by that time, he was hooked.
When asked what the fascination was, the 52-year-old father-of-two, said: “I honestly don’t know.
“It’s the setting up, the smell of the generators, the cutting of grass as it goes up overnight and then comes down just as quickly before moving on to another town. It’s the theatre and daring acts, the colour.”
In recent years he has started sitting ringside, sketching away up to 50 live acts in just one performance.
And it was while at work with his pad and wax crayons in Hyde Park last Christmas, his creative talent was recognised by a member of staff of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
Armed with carrier bags crammed with about 100 drawings, he impressed the museum’s curator enough to clinch a coveted place at the world-famous venue.
Twenty-two pieces are now on show chosen for their contribution as an historical document and for their importance in the contemporary circus world, which is now in its 250th year.
When Curtis left Chatham Boys’ Grammar, now Holcombe Grammar, there were hopes that he might take up business and get a job in the city.
But Curtis had other ideas and instead went to Medway Art College, now the University for the Creative Arts College in Rochester.
Ironically, he is now a part-time senior lecturer at the university teaching further education graphic art, the same course he took several decades ago.
For the past 30 years, he has worked on The Mail on Sunday, starting off as a tea boy and graduating to the design team.
An author and illustrator, he draws for magazines and newspapers, has paintings in international collections, staged shows and exhibitions throughout the UK and is renowned for his unconventional art and poetry presentations.
But Curtis is most at home sitting ringside sketching away up to 50 drawings of live acts in just one performance.
He said: “It is just one small slice of my working week, but it’s what I enjoy most.
“There is a real respect between the artistes and artist. Circus artists are the most resilient in the globe and could teach business people about efficiency.
'It’s the theatre and daring acts, the colour,' Curtis Tappenden explains his love for the circus
“One minute they could be on the tightrope and then next cleaning the toilets or selling popcorn.
“Circus is family entertainment for the people and unlike other forms of entertainment such as ballet, is affordable.
“It is also increasingly popular among young people these days - look at the acrobatics of the street dance group Diversity. Juggling is popular with university students.”
On Tuesday, Curtis took a group of his students to the circus at Jackson’s Field so they could see first hand the artist at work.
He said: “For a lot of them, circus is new to them, but circus has never been more popular. What I teach is a totally under-estimated art form, yet it is highly collectable, especially in America.
“I still have 2,800 pieces at home. I say to them whatever you do, keep your drawings. Don’t whatever you do give them away at a boot fair.”
Curtis now lives in Brighton with wife Susanna. They have a son Noah, 19, and daughter Tilly, 22.
But a small piece of his heart will forever be with the circus, right here in Medway.
Zippos Circus performed at Rochester for the first time in 23 years last week finishing yesterday.
