I taught as a lecturer in art for 20 years at further and higher education levels before taking early retirement to concentrate on printmaking from my home-studio at Staintondale on the Yorkshire coast.
I was visiting lecturer at the Museum school of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, a founder of Crescent Arts Workshop in Scarborough, and instigator, in 2003, of the annual Yorkshire Coast Open Studios event, which was expanded later to become the North Yorkshire Open Studios. For a time I worked with Katie Clemson, the Australian Printmaker/author, at her White Gum Press studio in the New Forest.
I specialize in figurative colour linoprints, my subjects being derived from memorable sightings and occasions, and often based on my coastal or moorland surroundings. My prints have been widely exhibited and sold over the past twenty years or so (an exhibitions listing is available if required). A recent work is a suite of twelve 'Zodiac' prints, derived from mediaeval stained-glass imagery. There is no single theme in my work, nor any particular issue to pursue through it. I am a member of the Printmakers Circle, a group of professional printmakers across North Yorkshire who embrace original printmaking in its many different forms, exploring a wide range of traditional and contemporary methods and techniques. We meet regularly to discuss and share all aspects of working as artist/printmakers, and exhibit together occasionally to showcase the quality of original printmaking in this part of the country.
I try to explore varied interpretations of my chosen topics by modifying the printing techniques. The prints are produced by the 'reduction-block' method, by which successive overlaying colours are printed progressively from the same linoblock or blocks, with the block(s) being cut or etched away (ie 'reduced') between each colour stage. This ensures accurate colour registration, but also means that only one edition of each complete image is possible. I use an 1840 ‘Albion’ cast-iron platen handpress to produce my prints.
