
The art of the circus
Clip: Season 11 Episode 3 | 4m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
Artist Joan Stevens helps preserve Circus World Museum's historic wagon collection.
As a teenager, Joan Stevens ran away with the carnival and fell in love with circus art. Today, she is helping Circus World Museum in Baraboo repaint, restore and revitalize their collection of historic circus wagons, using traditional techniques from gold gilding to precision brushwork.
Wisconsin Life is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Life is provided by the Wooden Nickel Fund, Mary and Lowell Peterson, A.C.V. and Mary Elston Family, Obrodovich Family Foundation, Stanley J. Cottrill Fund, Alliant Energy, UW...

The art of the circus
Clip: Season 11 Episode 3 | 4m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
As a teenager, Joan Stevens ran away with the carnival and fell in love with circus art. Today, she is helping Circus World Museum in Baraboo repaint, restore and revitalize their collection of historic circus wagons, using traditional techniques from gold gilding to precision brushwork.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[relaxed acoustic music] Visit Sauk County, and there's a good chance of coming across artwork by Joan Stevens.
- I did a sign for the Baraboo-Dells Airport.
I love driving by that sign.
Roy's Classic Cars.
It looks like a 1950s Shell station, and did some pinstriping on a couple of features in there.
There's an airplane hangar in the corner.
I had to put the lettering up on top of it that said "Luther Field," which was really cool.
- And in downtown Baraboo, home of the Circus Parade... - I painted a 15-foot wagon wheel on the pavement in front of the AL.
Ringling Theater.
It's held up pretty good.
- Circus art is Joan's specialty, where her precision brushwork is helping restore and preserve the past.
- I am passionate about what I do.
I say that I specialize in restoration because I use the old trade skills that I've learned over the years-- still hand painting and antiquing and gold gilding.
A good day is when I can stay in my grubby blue jeans and come out to the shop and sling some paint.
[laughs] I have to smell turpentine and have paint on my hands pretty much every day.
Otherwise, it feels like something's missing.
- She also had a brush with fame, restoring wagons that appeared in the 2011 award-winning movie Water for Elephants.
- I was able to do the Sells Floto Ticket Wagon down at Circus World, #62.
- Joan's personal storyline mirrors the movie as she found herself seeking adventure.
- I kind of ran away with the carnival.
It sounds good when you say it that way, but I took a job.
I took off with a bag of clothes and enough money to get back home.
I was surrounded by hand-painted signs and images, and the rides were still hand-painted at that time.
And it just kind of was an immediate connection that I had.
- Joan ran away in search of her dreams and then discovered them right in her hometown of Baraboo.
- When I came home, I was determined to continue to paint signs.
And Circus World seemed like a pretty good fit.
And I've been there ever since, which is, I think 37 years if...
But who's counting?
[laughs] - Joan is currently putting the finishing touches on a wagon for Circus World.
- Ta-da!
We're gonna go down to the wagon shop, get to come in, and start decorating.
- So, these are the skyboards off of #44, Gollmar Lion and Tiger Tableau.
It was a cage wagon turned into a baggage wagon, and then they used it in parades.
- When they started to restore the wagon, took the old panels off and uncovered these beautiful paintings.
And I'm reproducing them to put back on the wagon.
I love to see the finished project.
- On any given day, in the winter storage barn at Circus World... - I think there's around 260 wagons, give or take.
- Joan's artwork can be found around every turn.
- The old woman who lives in a shoe wagon was quite lengthy because it had to be taken apart layer by layer and recarved, 'cause there was a lot missing.
To just do the gilding, I think I probably had around five, six months in it.
I was in tears, wondering if I was ever gonna get through it.
I swore I'd never do another one, but bring it on.
I'd love to do another one.
[laughs] When the gold shines, nothing shines brighter.
I like the Buffalo Bill wagon.
It's hard to really say which one is my favorite piece.
- Throughout the years, Joan says her appreciation for the artistry of circus wagons has grown.
- It's amazing what the guys can do in the wagon shop as far as rebuilding the wagons.
And then, I come in, and I'm the happy painter.
I get to make it shine with the finishing details.
Pretty soon, you've got 30, 40 years of projects behind you.
I never know what's gonna come through the door.
It's exciting!
I think they move together, too.
Oh, yeah, look at 'em go.
[laughs] I just think it's so rewarding to see people enjoying what I do.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipWisconsin Life is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Life is provided by the Wooden Nickel Fund, Mary and Lowell Peterson, A.C.V. and Mary Elston Family, Obrodovich Family Foundation, Stanley J. Cottrill Fund, Alliant Energy, UW...