I illustrate what is going on in my head and how I feel.

As someone who suffers every day with my mental health, my experiences inform my art. My journey is ongoing, I am self taught and always learning, but if just one of my designs helps one person suffering to feel less alone then its worth it. That’s what I feel I am called to do. To create meaningful, soul filled pieces of art that serve as a reminder that you are not alone.

 My wish is that every time you see one of my designs hanging on your wall, you feel understood, calmer and comforted. Not all my designs are about mental health, or about the negative moments of mental health, but they all share this ethos. All my prints are imbued with love and passion.

 A gift from me to you.

My designs are hand drawn by me in my studio in a rural town in the north of England. I’m often inspired by plants and flowers as well as the female form. With these I try to express a feeling or mood in my art. My preferred medium is ink pen which lends itself well to being turned into prints.

I use two different printing techniques to print my designs. Either silkscreen printing or Lino cut printing. If I’m silkscreen printing I will scan and edit my designs before sending them off to be imprinted into silkscreens by a local print studio. Once I have printed with a screen it can then be repurposed for new designs and used over and over again. Alternately if I decide to use the Lino printing technique i will simply transfer my design to my block of Lino and start carving in to it. Once I am finished I then use the block to create relief prints in to paper. I am careful to choose ethically made paper or card on which to print my designs. And I only create a limited few prints of each design. what I love about these hand printing techniques is that they create prints that are all unique. No two prints are identical making each an individual piece of art.

I carefully parcel up my designs in acid free tissue paper or biodegradable starch wallets and add a small posy of dried flowers from my garden for you to keep. Because I only create a few prints of each design I like to feel like I am passing them on to someone who will appreciate the process and that their print was made by my hands for you. A truly environmentally conscious and handmade item for you to treasure on your wall.

A Note on sustainability

Protecting the environment is very important to me, so its something I consider at ever step of the process. When I’m screen printing I use a water based ink that is both high in pigment and has a smaller impact on the environment than oil based ink. Before washing clean a screen I always try to remove as much ink as possible, so it can be reused and reduce waste. The paper I use is hand made and is made using recycled cotton rags. Any waste paper from the print making process I repurpose for business cards. And finally when it comes to parceling up your print I don’t use plastic at all, each print is wrapped in acid free tissue paper which is better for protecting your print and the environment.

Since I began experimenting with Lino cut printing I have been looking into ways to create my prints more sustainably. It is a journey I am still on but I will be continuing to look in to the impact the materials I use have on the planet. When I package up your print I use a recycled backing card and a biodegradable starch wallet to protect your print.