Amelia Bowman

I create intaglio collagraph prints and hand-drawn, digitally coloured pattern designs which I incorporate into my collagraph prints using an additional technique called chine-collé.

I learnt collagraphy almost by accident while working in secondary art education in 2006. Watching as students were shown a smattering of printmaking techniques by a guest tutor I was intrigued. Given that a collagraph plate can be made with relatively unremarkable materials I thought I would go down that route although not having a print press presented a bit of a problem. My solution was to convert a decrepit vintage mangle into a press, but it was a solution that has endured to this day with only the odd disagreement and firm whack with a rubber mallet to get things going again!

At the time I learnt collagraphy I was regularly to be found sketching on the Norfolk and Suffolk coast and began to covert my coastal sketches into collagraph plates. The coast is in my blood as I have a Cornish Father with a passion for sailing. This coupled with an artist Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother sealed the deal. I doubt I could have escaped a creative career if I had tried but of all my creative endeavours, it is printmaking that has stuck.