Curtis, who teaches on UCA Rochester's FE programmes, was commissioned to make the drawings on location, documenting the acts as they performed live in the Big Top. The work is the highlight of this season's Zippos 'Gold' presentation brochure – a show with the celebratory Olympic theme for 2012.

These sketches were first shown at the London Press show of Zippos Circus- 'Gold', Olympic 2012 season. A selection of the drawings illustrated the souvenir brochure. It was a deliberate bringing together of the visual and performing arts, as collaborated with Zippo's founder and owner, clown Martin 'Zippo' Burton.

Curtis has long held an interest in documenting the life of the circus, and explores the preparatory backstage moments as well as those captured ringside. He said: "Working with the circus as an artist adds to a longstanding relationship between the visual and performing arts, as colourfully drawn and painted by past masters such as Toulouse Lautrec, Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Edward Seago and Dame Laura Knight.

A selection of the drawings illustrated the souvenir brochure. It was a deliberate bringing together of the visual and performing arts, as collaborated with Zippo's founder and owner, clown Martin 'Zippo' Burton.

• http://ucreative.ac.uk/news/2012/April/l...
• http://www.rochesterpeople.co.uk/News-UC...
• http://www.zipposcircus.co.uk/