Old black and white photographs are intriguing, in particular 'found photographs'. They represent a trace, a fragment, a small slice of someone’s life that we will never fully know. Photographs are also a reminder of absence.  These photographs, particularly old vintage photographs, show a captured moment now gone, a memory faded and a life lost. They are a witness that an event happened, someone stood in front of a camera for a split second and decades later we can only imagine the how or why. Perhaps it was to commemorate a special occasion, or the reminder of a perfect day.

One such image was a battle scarred old family photographic postcard of a young first world war soldier. The only clue to who he was is a simple message on the back  saying  'Yours sincerely cousin Frank'.

Who was cousin Frank?  What happened to him?

We all have a 'cousin Frank' somewhere in our family history. An old photograph of somebody no longer clearly remembered, a vague memory, a shadow of a past life. Cousin Frank became a symbol of  our work.

Our prints are produced using a range of traditional photographic techniques and print making processes.

• Photogravure

• Etching

• Photo Lithography

• Cyanotype

• Collagraph

• Solarplate 

• Drypoint and engraving

Image: 'Cousin Frank'

Please note that due to the nature of unique prints the colours may vary.

One Day Printmaking Workshops

We run a range of print making  one day courses on a variety of subjects  at our studios at Fineshade. Workshops include lino cutting, drypoint, Collagraph,  Solarplate  Etching, Photo-etching, Cyanotype and other techniques.

Also available is  a half day workshop about preparing and mounting art work for display.

 Please contact us for further details.

To book our workshops running in May and June please follow this link: Workshops

Frame Making

The charm of a piece of art work or photograph can be enhanced by the age old tradition of picture framing. Creative use of mount and mouldings can display art in a way that reflects and brings out its best characteristics,  whether it is a more traditional piece of art or a more contemporary one.

We can provide a custom framing service and produce for you a picture frame from your choice of mount and moulding.

Commissions

Memories are important. Do you have a favourite holiday, occasion or  person that you want to remember. We can turn your photograph into a print using your choice of medium, making a unique artwork using  either intaglio, photogravure, lithography or cyanotype.