July 2003
Decorative work was carried out over several months on the spectacular
Milton Keynes Clock.
The clock is 16 metres wide, weighs 4 tonnes, and is believed to be one
of Britain's biggest animated feature clocks. At one end of a massive
wrought iron gantry sits a large frog, at the other, a forge making golden
balls of sunshine. The balls are placed onto a pendulum fixed to a wheel.
Every three minutes the wheel moves along the gantry delivering the balls
of energy to the frog. A hammer smacks the ball into the clock housing,
and it emerges, cascading down an escapement before returning back into
the clock. Musical sequences are heard in the background and on the hour,
the frog's eyes light up and he blows bubbles onto the crowd below, as
a lily-pad spreads out behind him.
August 2003
A huge wall was designed and sign written for Springwoods
Club and Restaurant at Grendon Underwood, Nr Aylesbury, Bucks
Pic Attached.
January 2005
Artbox supplied on set signage for ‘Scarlets ‘ Nightclub in
BBC TV’s
Eastenders, this replaced the old ‘Angies Den ‘ signs which
were also supplied
by Bill.
 May 2005
Supplied signs for the new sitcom spin-off from ‘Only Fools and
Horses’ entitled ‘The Green Green Grass’, the programme
is on BBC 1, starring Boycie, Marlene and son Tyler.
September 2005
Bucks County Show Day – Banners enhanced Marquees,
including two at 40 foot long which pulled in the crowds.
THE GRASS IS GREENER !!
Local sign company ‘ Artboxinc’ has supplied
signs for the new sitcom spin-off
from ‘Only Fools and Horses’ entitled ‘The Green Green
Grass’, the programme is due to be shown shortly on BBC 1, starring
Boycie, Marlene and son Tyler.
Supplying the programme with ‘Welcome to Oakam’ along with
Garage and Farming Supplies signs, ‘Artboxinc’ is riding high
after tragic circumstances.
After more than 20 years as a Signartist and Graphic Designer
at BBC Television Centre, local signwriter Bill Hodgins, based at Middle
Claydon, became freelance
but continued to work on programmes such as Holby City and Top of the
Pops
along with supplying graphics to several well known films including ‘Pearl
Harbour’
and ‘Band of Brothers’.
Also featuring Bills graphic work is the well known Milton
Keynes spectacular 4 tonne Victorian style timepiece, on which a frog
blows bubbles from a lily-pad in Midsummer Place.
Bill enjoyed his work to the full until a fateful day almost
2 years ago when he suffered a serious stroke which affected his right
side and took the use of his right arm, devastating to a traditional signwriter.
However with his creative mind still intact and the support
of his family Bill has overcome his difficulties to continue with his
work and pick up from where he left off.
Using a computer cutting sign system designing complex signs is no problem,
and with his sons applying the graphics, the company now called ‘Artboxinc’,
has since supplied signs for Channel 4’s ‘The Body Of ’
and for Scarlets Nightclub on the ‘Eastenders’ set.
However TV and Film are just a small part of the business,
“We are able to apply graphics on vehicles and signboards and supplied
several banners for the local County Show, I am so lucky to be able to
continue with the work I enjoy so much “ said Bill
“I have had tremendous support.”
Artboxinc can be contacted on www.artboxinc.co.uk or Tel
01296 730215
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