I’m inspired by typographic styles from the past, combining old style processes with modern day sayings and language to create small editions and one off prints.
For over 25 years I’ve worked as a graphic designer both in London and in Hastings, and it was while working in Hastings I found the need to find a creative outlet away from the Apple Mac.
A letterpress course in Brighton hit the spot and my journey into the world of printmaking began. Although I had dabbled with printmaking, oth at school and through studying graphic design at college this 10 week course ignited a real connection with the process. Since taking that course, printmaking has become an ever-increasing passion in my life, opening up opportunities to work with others and expand their knowledge and commitment to this process.
I’m always on the lookout for type, and this feeds directly back into my printmaking. Whether it’s old advertising, manhole covers, or messages and graphics from the past, type in all sorts of places sparks ideas and layouts which could be used in future prints.
My journey with print all stems from a childhood when school holidays were spent with my Mum at a small typesetting company in Mitcham, South London. Before the introduction of the Apple Mac it was a world of bromides, cut and paste up, grant projectors and cow gum… if you know you know.
My college education started at Croydon College studying graphic design, where I always had a strong interest in typography. I was lucky to start my journey with type before the Mac became mainstream. Hand drawing the type before finally typesetting it on the Mac has given me a closer understanding of how to work with type, which I have developed further when working with letterpress.
I see type everywhere I go, it’s like my eyes are instinctively drawn to it
