janet dickson - printmaker
I studied Graphic Design at Newcastle Polytechnic, now the University of
Northumbria, graduating in 1984, working in graphic design practice before
returning to Northumbria as a Senior Lecturer. My return to printmaking (first
so enjoyed as a student when I was never happier than when in the print room)
was a gradual but consistent process until my move to rural Northumberland where
I now have my studio. After fifteen years teaching I now make prints and offer
occasional workshops in my riverside studio, creative days with a small group of
enthusiastic students, and in addition to these, I also work with other
organisations to run workshops elsewhere. My background as a graphic designer
undoubtedly influences the way I work. I am a printmaker inspired by plants and
natural forms - the garden therefore, is a key source, but colour, structure and
pattern in landscape draws my attention too. The process of printmaking itself
though is there at the top of the list of drivers - along with all other
printmakers, that thrill of 'lifting up the paper', the big reveal, is a joy
(most of the time). Drawing underpins my work - it is where many of my prints
begin, in sketchbooks, and the processes I choose which allow me to incorporate
drawing in some form or other. The riverside studio in which I work, in rural
Northumberland, is rich in inspiration.
