What brought you to Edinburgh Printmakers, and how long have you been a studio member?
I joined Edinburgh Printmakers in 1998, just after I graduated from my postgraduate in painting at Edinburgh College of Art. I knew I would be working from a home studio, rather than a studio complex, and I wanted to be a part of EP to meet other artists. I didn’t really think at the time that printmaking would become such an important part of my practice, but once I got into it, I discovered it was something I enjoyed and was good at. I did an evening class with Gill Murray on screen printing, then started working independently. The first prints I did were quite simple, but I very quickly started making prints with ten or more layers!
Why is making art important to you?
Quite simply, it is my life. When I am not making my own work, I teach a foundation course, nurturing the next generation of artists. I believe strongly that there is a place for many different forms of visual expression in the world, from immersive installations which challenge peoples’ experiences and emotions, to affordable, high-quality artwork that people can have in their day-to-day lives. There is a place for it all, and one is not better than the other. It is the job of an artist to make the world an interesting place, it is not just about survival! I happen to be one of the artists who makes domestic-scaled work, which people can own if they want; one of the reasons I like printmaking is that it is a democratic, affordable process, which is often more accessible for people.
Which printmaking processes do you prefer to work with and why?
Screen printing is what I do in EP; I love the colour and the ability to translate hand-drawn marks on the screen. I layer these up to create painterly prints. I find the visual language I use in my paintings, the strong use of colour and pattern, also comes through in my prints and visa versa. I regard printmaking and painting as inseparable in my practice.
During Covid, when the workshop was shut, I began making lino prints in my studio, initially using a craft die cutting machine which I had converted into a printing press. I now own an Ironbridge press and make colourful reduction linos in my studio, and my aim is to one day start using a Mega to make larger prints in the studio! I like the graphic quality of lino printing, and it has been quite a transformative process for me, as it has forced me to simplify and distil my images more.
Please describe your artistic practice.
My work is blatantly decorative. I love the playful possibilities of colour and pattern. I paint and print a lot of decorative still-life pieces which grew out of the pandemic, when I was at home a lot and the objects around me were informing the work I made. Most recently, I have started making work based on travelling in Spain and Greece, which is more similar to the type of work I did when I joined EP! It’s a sort of reportage meets colour and pattern type of thing. I am just getting started with this project and am unsure where it is going, but I am excited about the possibilities.
