Joanna has been making prints for the last 30 years, occasionally teaching printmaking locally alongside a busy family life.

The Town Moor area of Newcastle near her home inspires many prints along with the changing seasons and reduced colour palette that winter brings to the local parks, allotments and the flora and fauna of her own garden. Specialising in Woodcut techniques, her Newcastle studio is spread over two rooms of her home, with one used for designing and preparing her woodcuts and making collages, and a second room housing her 1861 Albion Press used for printing her editions of woodcuts. 

“When planning a new print, I choose the wood according to the grain, as this forms an important part of the design of the images, adding texture and a sense of direction. I break down the image into a series of layers with some blocks inked up in more than one colour, and build the image, incorporating overprinting in transparent colours, jig-sawing blocks and reduction printing. Each new print is approached in a way that suits the image…” 

In woodcut, gouges are used to cut away areas of wood not destined for printing. The areas of wood left uncut will become the printed image. The surface of the wood is inked using a roller, paper laid on top of the block and pressure applied to the surface either with a press or with a wooden spoon or baren. 

Small collages and handmade prints are available from the Craftshop, along with a selection of her cards which are also available online at http://www.artcards.com 

Hailing from Amble along the Northumberland coast, Darryn took up photography in 2009 after a career in Joinery and was able to turn professional in 2011.

Working with digital cameras but in a traditional way, he uses graduated filters to encapsulate the glorious colours and wide vistas of the North East landscape. Using only basic editing techniques, he prefers to walk away from a shoot with the finished article already in the camera as opposed to post processing. 

Capturing his images in the half light of dawn and dusk, he finds his inspiration in the drama and atmosphere of starlit skies and golden sunsets.  

“I’ve been a keen surfer, rock climber, fell runner and walker since an early age and have always felt a deep love for the Northumbrian landscape as a whole. I always try to portray this connection in each photograph I take. I find equal charm in our hills, on our moors and of course our amazing coastline. My greatest difficulty is deciding where to go on the day as we have so much to choose from.” 

Small and medium mounted prints are available from the Craftshop, with larger mounted prints available to order. 

Having lived most of his life in the North East, David paints his original watercolours from his studio at the Hearth Arts Centre in the beautiful Tyne Valley.

A professional artist for over 20 years he paints in a distictive, bold style, applying vivid colours, watery brush strokes and intricate details to areas of interest…

“My work flow involves firstly taking photographic reference on location. Using the photos, I then do several small, fast paintings to get the colours right and to get a feel for how the final painting will look. Next, I do a very detailed drawing which I use as the bones for the final painting. When using watercolours, I am never 100% in control of the outcome due to the fluid nature of the paint, for me this is part of the appeal.” 

“My work is inspired by the urban landscape, by wildlife, and by the rugged, natural landscapes that are unique to the North East. I love the old architecture and bridges which are situated in and around  Newcastle Quayside. In particular, I enjoyed drawing and painting the inside of The High Level bridge which is featured in my painting ‘ Arches of Iron’. “ 

Limited edition prints of David’s paintings are available from the Craftshop along with a selection of his cards, which are also available online from http://www.newartcards.co.uk. 

Born into a family of Irish artists, Carol spent much of her childhood in Zambia and Zimbabwe, later returning to Ireland to study and finally making her home here in the North East. 

From the monumental Hadrian’s Wall and rugged coastline to the awe inspiring night skies, she finds endless inspiration In the area’s ancient history and open vistas. 

““…there is so much rich history – Hadrian’s Wall and the Romans, Neolithic stones, Bronze Age and Border Reiver settlements, medieval castles and the shoreline. Let’s not forget the wild flora and fauna, the geology of the Whin Sill and last but not least, the spectacular dark skies at night.”

Starting her career as a graphic designer, Carol now creates original handmade prints in her studio in a converted barn on the edge of the medieval market town of Hexham. Using Monograph and Collagraph print techniques she makes prints full of atmospheric colour, pattern and texture. 

“At the start, printmaking was simply creative therapy.  I immersed myself in the process and fell in love with the possibilities.” 

Digital reproductions of Carol’s original handmade artist prints are available from the Craftshop as both open edition and limited edition Giclee prints. We also sell a selection of her cards in the craftshop and online at http://www.artcards.co.uk