Portfolio — 03
Etching
MEDIUM : Intaglio printmaking
PAPER : Hahnemühle archival, est. 1584
PROCESS : Traditional hand-pulled press
EDITION : Limited to 25, never reprinted
STUDIO : Spike Island, Bristol
03.1 — On the Practice
Intaglio · Heritage · Unique Impression
I began incorporating etching into my practice in 2018, when I felt drawn to capture light in a new way, having previously focused on painting tree shadows. As with all the mediums I use, I am drawn to their heritage. Etching is one of the oldest and most revered forms of printmaking, with roots stretching back to the 16th century — first used in Germany and Italy, and later adopted by masters such as Rembrandt.
In my practice, I use a photographic process to capture natural forms — branches, leaves, and trees — translating their silhouettes directly into etched plates. Each print is made on archival Hahnemühle paper, a German mill renowned for its quality since 1584, ensuring every etching stands the test of time.
Each etching is hand-pulled using a traditional press. Variations in ink application, pressure, plate tone, and the subtleties of hand-wiping create slight differences in every print — giving each one its own subtle life.
Winter Series — 2018
My first series focused on capturing winter. I collected winter beech and exposed their sculptural forms to create a suite of six etchings that reflect the quiet structure of the season — the bare architecture of branches, the absence of leaf, the stillness that asks you to look more carefully.
Winter Beech 1
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Winter Beech 2
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Winter Beech 3
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Winter Beech 4
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Winter Beech 5
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Winter Beech 6
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Summer Series — Dan & Huw
After completing the Winter Beech series — my visual expression of winter — I began a new collection of seven etchings, Dan and Huw, in response to summer. The title honours Dan Pearson and Huw Morgan, whose extraordinary garden inspired the works.
It was Huw who introduced me to the Japanese calendar of 72 micro-seasons — a framework that has shaped my practice ever since. Each lasts around five days, marking subtle shifts in nature. I continue to use this calendar in the UK, creating artworks that respond directly to what is seen and felt in the landscape at any moment.
Their garden is a rich collection of plant varieties, from rare specimens to heritage favourites. While I could have drawn from many, I chose these plants for their distinctive structural forms, which translate beautifully through etching.
Dan & Huw Dahlia
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Dan & Huw Rose 1
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Dan & Huw Rose 2
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Dan & Huw Rose 3
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Dan & Huw Woodoats 1
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
Dan & Huw Woodoats 2
Etching · 40 × 30 cm
03.2 — Collecting These Works
Limited edition · Numbered & signed
These etchings are conceived as entry-point collector pieces — an accessible way to begin a meaningful collection without committing to a larger work.
Because every print is pulled entirely by hand, no two are identical. Each carries the particular pressure of that moment at the press, that weight of ink, that day in the studio.