Inspired by coastal ecology and sustainability and lucky enough to live and work on Scotland’s NW Highland coast, most of the materials I work with are collected from the shores, between the low and high tide lines the ‘littoral zone’

Printmaking plays a central part in my visual art practice. It is integral and essential to my understanding of the materials I find and use, whether natural or man-made. 

My choice of printing techniques is inspired by the nature of the material and location I am working in. When on the road, sometimes simple ink pad pressings are useful to quickly record detailed plant forms and seaweed samples. I also employ a manual pasta roller machine, for its calibrated efficiency on tougher grasses and seed pods.

These more immediate printing methods often serve as a way to get to know my natural materials whether depicting plant forms or marine algae, but most of my detailed botanical printmaking takes place in my studio on my roller press.

In order to print from contrasting man-made materials such as marine plastic, for example in my LOST exhibition, repeated adjustments to the plates are required to achieve the desired detail. The type of polymer of each plastic item dictates whether I use a hydraulic press, or a roller press. For example creating prints from plastic drinks bottles required pre-cutting and flattening under my van wheels before printing.

This summer I am experimenting printing from a series of seaweed weaving’s made with textile artist friends Marcia Weiss and Ed Thomas.

I will be teaching a botanical printmaking workshop in Dorset September 30 2023 and holding a studio event in November which will also be available to view online. A selection my prints will be on sale at both events.

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Please feel free to contact me to find out more.