Steve Simpson, an illustrator from Dublin, spent a 4 week residency in The National Gallery of Ireland responding to ‘Circus250: Art of the Show‘ which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the original circus. I instantly fell in love with his style and really enjoy exploring his unique spin on the theme that was provided. I can’t get over how flawlessly his compositions are laid out, featuring the perfect balance of black ink illustrations and hand-lettering that recieved just as much attention to detail as the characters. From freak shows, to dancing bears, to bengal tigers in hot air balloons, you’ll surely find something that catches your eye when you take a closer look at this vintage-inspired collection of hand-drawn circus illustrations.