Emma Lawrenson of Little Print Press never had any doubt that she was destined to be an artist — that much was established from the start. “I was passionate about art from a really young age,” Emma says. “Even as a child, I knew that was all I ever really wanted to do. After my A-levels, I did a foundation course, which is a grounding in many different subjects — a bit of ceramics, a bit of textile design, all sorts of things — and when I had a go at printmaking, I was hooked straightaway.”
Still, the UK-based artist’s signature style — one she’s been building on for more than 20 years — came about as a bit of a fluke. “When I was doing some printmaking during my foundation course, I’d made a really detailed drawing of a classical building with columns and loads of plasterwork,” she says. “But when I took the etching plate out of the acid bath, I looked at the underside, and it had this amazing cross pattern; instead of inking up the top, I decided to ink up the back, and got this really gorgeous abstract print. That’s when I started to get more interested in very simplified shapes and forms. In fact, the whole reason I got into abstract and minimal work stemmed from that moment, which was actually a mistake.”
Based on the artist’s critical accolades and wide-ranging popularity — Emma won the prestigious New Light Art Prize Printmakers Award last year, and her work has appeared on sets for Mad Men and Parenthood and in countless collectors’ homes — that “mistake” was anything but. Read on to learn more about Emma’s process and get a peek inside her West Yorkshire workspace.
What drew you to printmaking originally?
I like processes, and I like to be really methodical and precise, and that’s what printmaking, for me, is all about. You’ve got to have everything pre-planned and worked out before you start. It’s not like painting, where you’re working directly on a canvas. And if you’re doing an etching or a screen printing, there’s always that anticipation before you lift the screen up, because you can’t know exactly what’s going to happen. That’s part of why I like printmaking so much.
After my foundation course, I went on to do a four-year degree in fine art; I did printmaking and quite a lot of drawing, working in a very similar style to the one I’ve got now. Back then, I was living in London with a group of artists and musicians, and what really spurred me on was that a guy I lived with was doing print textiles at the Royal College of Art, and he said, “Why don’t you come to college with me one day?” As soon as I walked around the printmaking area, I was shocked at how amazing the work was and in awe of the students.
From that moment on, I knew I had to go there after I finished my degree, which I did; I got in and did a two-year program in printmaking. It was such a fantastic opportunity and a privilege to go there — I was taught by Tracey Emin, people like that. It’s kind of crazy, looking back, but it was fab.
How has your work has evolved over time?
My inspiration has always come from my immediate environment. When I was in London, I was looking at an urban environment; now, I live in the countryside, and when I go on walks, it’s all nature. So even though a lot of the geometric, minimal work I’m doing now, I was doing then, I didn’t have any of the organic-type work that I do now. But my style has always been the same: quite abstract, colorful, understated, and simple. If you saw my work then, you would know it was mine.
In the last couple of years, I have changed the way I make my stencils, though. Before, I used cut paint stencils, so everything was really hard-edged and quite graphic; now, I’ve softened it a lot — all my stencils are hand-drawn using chinagraph pencils or pastels. The prints themselves are a lot softer in appearance, and they look more handmade. So that’s changed, although the actual compositions and colors haven’t much.
How do you go from a glimpse of a sheep pen to an abstract image? How do you translate the elements of the landscape around you to these wonderfully simple compositions?
I approach every new print in the same way I always have, and my inspiration comes from the environment I’m in at the moment. I’m constantly scanning as I’m walking around every day, taking photographs; my geometric work comes from stone barns and doorways and pathways, and my organic work comes from things like leaves and seeds.
When I get back to the studio — I’ve got a studio at home, and a separate studio that I go to print at — I sort through my images. Usually if I’ve seen something that day, I’ll start working right away while it’s fresh. I begin by drawing the image out on paper; then I kind of strip everything back, until I’ve got just the bare essential there from the idea or the photograph that I started from.
Then I make collages: I have inks and bits of paper everywhere, and I paint loads of swatches and start cutting them up. I always print on a flat, colored background — usually cream — so I’ll start moving the collaged pieces around on one of those until the image resolves itself. Sometimes I love what I have straightaway; other times, it can take me a couple of days to get it right.
Once I get to that stage, I’ll start to mix up the paints and inks again so that I’ve got enough to use on the screens, and then I make the actual stencils. If I want them to be larger, sometimes I’ll scan a collage into the computer to adjust the size, then trace it through the screen and make my stencils from that. If a design is going to have 15 colors, I need 15 separate stencils, and it takes time to build them up and make sure they’re all going to fit together — a bit like a jigsaw.
How long does it take you to make a piece with 15 colors?
I can print that in a day — maybe seven hours — because I’ve been doing it for so long and the water-based inks I use dry pretty quickly. And I usually work on two prints simultaneously, so while one layer is drying, I’m working on the next one. It takes quite a long time, but I do a new edition every week, so maybe 15 will print in a day. Although it takes me a week or two just to get it to that stage — to get it ready to go to the workshop.
So you have a studio at home, and a facility you go to for printing. Do you have plans to build a printing facility at home one day?
Well, I’ve got this gorgeous barn just at the back of the house that’s got nothing in it except junk, and I’ve started buying things to make it a printing studio — a drying rack, some bits and bobs. But it’s such a big project, and I’m so busy; I’m working six days a week. So I think it will happen, but maybe not for a couple more years; and besides, it’s working for me, the way that I prepare at home and then go into the workshop. It makes me focus. I print on Fridays, so all those inks and my stencils have got to be done; I think if the studio was just behind me at the house, I probably I wouldn’t get as much work done, because there wouldn’t be that deadline every week.
When did Etsy enter the picture for you, and how has that affected your work or your creative process?
I used to teach art before I had children, and when the children got a little bit bigger and started play school, I didn’t want to go back to teaching; I always knew I wanted to focus on my work. That was in 2010, almost six years ago; I went to this workshop, and that’s where I met a girl who’d been selling on Etsy for a while. I built up a little portfolio of prints, maybe about 20, and she said, “Why don’t you open a shop?” I hadn’t heard of Etsy, but I opened my shop and got the work up, and I think the first day I sold nine prints.
Everything kind of spiraled from there. I think for me, I wouldn’t be able to be an artist without Etsy. I exhibit in a lot of galleries and quite prestigious exhibitions, but you hardly ever sell anything — I don’t know why. I have tried to sell on other sites, but I might sell one or two a month where on Etsy I sell 80 a month. It’s just got such a bigger audience. And I do work really hard on my shop: Every day I renew items, and I might do a treasury or two. I spent more time on that at the beginning than now, since I have so many customers who repeat-buy.
What’s the most challenging part of the printmaking process for you?
Color, for me – sometimes the colors just work, and it’s happy days, and then sometimes I think, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on? Nightmare!’ Last week I did one of the nicest prints I think I’ve ever done, but it took me seven hours to get the colors right. I think people might look at my work and think, ‘I could do that. What is it? A few shapes and a few colors on a piece of paper.’ But it is a lot more complicated and can quite easily go wrong. If you get one color that’s slightly too dark, it will throw the whole print off because it stands out so much. And then if all the colors are too similar, it will look washed out, it won’t show up very well on the screen, and I know that it’s not going to sell. There’s a lot riding on the color for me.
What’s the most exhilarating part of the printmaking process for you?
Adding the final color and seeing that it’s worked: I’ll lift up the screen for the last color on the first print of the edition, and then if there’s no one in the workshop, sometimes I’ll start dancing, going, “Oh, yes, I did it!” So that’s the best bit; but also selling it, because some just sell like hotcakes, and I don’t know why they’re so much more popular. There was one I did ages ago, and I used to sell one every day of the week — I think it was the colors, all bright pinks and oranges and reds.
What’s the most popular piece in your shop now?
Now, my most popular piece is called “Ploughed”; it’s the smaller ones, around the 40 pounds mark, that sell the best. People will buy two or four, and then you get a nice set of prints for an all right price. My other bestseller, which I’ve done now in three different colorways, is one called “28 Leaves.”
Ever since I opened my Etsy shop, I have kept a little notebook, and every time I get a sale, I write down the name of the print, the price, and where it’s gone. I’m now in about 35 different countries, I think, and I am up to about 5,000 prints sold now. It’s madness, thinking of where they’ve gone: Iceland, Australia, Denmark, and especially the USA and the UK.
What’s next for your shop?
I’m just keeping going with what I’m doing. I know what my buyers want, so I’m always making that kind of work, because obviously that’s the business side of it. But then I’ve got my real artist side of it, which is the stuff at the exhibitions. But I like to put everything in my shop, because everything does sell; it may not all sell quite as well as the smaller pieces, but I’m an artist at the end of the day, so that’s what I do.
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All photos by Little Print Press.
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113 comments
Megan from MegansMenagerie said 4 years ago
Beautiful work! Congratulations on the feature!
Sue from SuesAkornShop said 4 years ago
How lovely! Congrats on the feature!
Sally from SallysVintageKitchen said 4 years ago
Lovely shop! Congratulations on the feature.
David from Jasdawesomegraphics2 said 4 years ago
Does the frame make the art? I have posted just art with the hopes that some crafters would have ideas of using them for pillows, blankets, gift cards, whatever. Now I feel I should post in frames, but.I feel it would draw the wrong conclusions. Oh well, you're art is cool. I love geometrics.
Cinne Worthington from CBanningAccessories said 4 years ago
Wonderful feature, congrats. Your colors and compositions are stunning!
DivineOrders from DivineOrders said 4 years ago
GLORIOUS! Congrats on the feature. Thank you Emma for sharing your inspiring journey, artistic process, and spectacular works with us. Peace.
Kristina Beganovic from blackbirdbag said 4 years ago
Beautiful work!
Tim Condron from InOro said 4 years ago
Really great feature with amazing photo's! Congratulations on the New Light Art Prize Printmakers Award! That must of felt amazing.
Susie from ShoesbySusie said 4 years ago
I love your success story- so very inspiring! Your art is stunning and so comforting to gaze at. I wish for you all the best!
Theres from MoonyWool said 4 years ago
Great work, and I totally admire your studio. Congratulations on this awesome feature!
Jema Watts from BadgeShack said 4 years ago
So simple but yet very beautiful. Congratulations!
Anastasia Hedlund from Avaneska said 4 years ago
Amazing shop! Congrats on the feature!
Sherri from ButterflyFeetDigital said 4 years ago
Interesting process, congrats on the feature!
Madeleine Keller from ThoseGoodVibrations said 4 years ago
Very minimalist and cute! Your art reminds me of swedish designs. I love it :)
Yarn shop from PetiteWool said 4 years ago
Great work! Congratulations on the feature!
Julie Grzesiek from SuppliesAndSuch said 4 years ago
I love the colors, so beautiful. Congratulations on your success!
Natalia from KMalinkaVintage said 4 years ago
Very nice art work!
Maria Singleton from VintageMoonStudios said 4 years ago
Your work is gorgeous! Congratulations on your success and your feature.
April Armistead from AprilNicoleArt said 4 years ago
Wonderful work! I love hearing about your process. Congrats on the feature ♥
Jafeth Moiane from handicraftafrica said 4 years ago
Beautiful work.Congrats!
Nancy from HerMajestysPug said 4 years ago
Bravo Emma!! J'adore your designs!!! Congrats on being featured!!! And, here's to beaucoup more success!! Pugs & kisses
Fluur from Fluur said 4 years ago
A delight!! Congratulations. Emma.
Dorothy from JewelrybyDorothy said 4 years ago
Lovely work! Congrats on the feature!
accentonvintage from accentonvintage said 4 years ago
Beautiful designs! Congrats!
Priscilla from Gardenmis said 4 years ago
Your art is lovely and your work space is amazing! Thanks for sharing your journey and process. Congrats on the feature :)
Francine from HomespunHeartofMine said 4 years ago
Very interesting feature!!! LOVE your story and your artwork!!! Congratulations and many blessings for your continued success!!! :D
Gwynne Collins from DaysLongGone said 4 years ago
Love your art! Congrats on the feature!
Monica from ThreeBarDGifts said 4 years ago
Congrats on the feature! Wishing you continued success with your lovely shop!
Shulamit Raanan from ShuliDesigns said 4 years ago
Wonderful feature and amazing Shop! Thanks for sharing with us!!! Congrats :)
DeUno from DeUno said 4 years ago
Lovely design! Congratulations!
Nakkashe from Nakkashe said 4 years ago
Lovely work, congratulations on the feature
Cheridah Spaulding from CheridahSpauldingArt said 4 years ago
Great story. Glad for your success.
Sujata from TreasuredMemoryLane said 4 years ago
Beautiful work and designs! Congratulations on the feature!
Jeanne S from EclecticSageVintage said 4 years ago
What a fascinating story. I love how you were inspired by the backside of an etching plate and you've transformed that moment into your own personal style. I'm looking forward to seeing even more of what you create. Stay inspired, we love your work.
Kashuen Collectibles from Kashuen said 4 years ago
What a beautiful, simple shop. I am so envy that you are taught by Tracey Emin. Congratulations!
Anna from ParisDecorPrints said 4 years ago
Congratulations on the feature!
kim rhodes-thomas from pinksnakejewelry said 4 years ago
Great Post!! Wonderful Creative Process!! Beautiful Creations!!!
Robin Sherin from RobinSherinInc said 4 years ago
Congrats on the feature! Yay printmaking!
Aki from oktak said 4 years ago
Have been a fan of your work for years. Congrats on the well-deserved feature, Emma!
Cristy Ramos from ArtisanBathandBody said 4 years ago
So happy for you Emma! Congratulations on the feature ♥
TropicalGarden from TropicalGarden said 4 years ago
Great work, simply wonderful! Congratulations on the feature:)
Cheryl Berry from PretticoateJunction said 4 years ago
Congratulations on sharing your feature for all of us to enjoy and get inspired by. I wish you great success and all the very best. Keep up the artwork.
BlueCaterpillar from LabelStickers said 4 years ago
What an outstanding feature ! Congratulations !
Nouveau Prints from NouveauPrints said 4 years ago
Wow! Congrats fo your work Emma!
Zoui from XZOUIX said 4 years ago
dear Emma, looking at your new works is always a pleasant experience. ever since i discovered your shop, i was admiring your sense of color and composition, and it was quite a few years ago. best wishes & lots of inspiration!
elle and belle Forster from elleandbellejewelry said 4 years ago
Beautiful work! All the best!
Chen Xiaojun from SamgharamaStudio said 4 years ago
simple but beautiful, Congratulations on the feature!
Laurie from JenAshleyDollDesigns said 4 years ago
Beautiful work!
BonTons from BonTons said 4 years ago
Beautiful work! Congratulations on the Feature!
Stef Bauer from oneeyedgirls said 4 years ago
Big Congrats!! I always enjoy your work and nice to know more about your process- complex colors- simply beautiful!!!
Rebi Ustun from MySilverMyGoldMyWork said 4 years ago
Lovely shop! Congratulations on the feature.
Etrennes from Etrennes said 4 years ago
Your art and work is extremely beautiful! Wishing you all the best for continued success!!!
Melissa from adorablyimperfect said 4 years ago
Lovely work! Lovely shop! Congrats on the article!
Jill Ffrench from FantailsAndFeet said 4 years ago
Gorgeous work.
C. De Castro from morethanart said 4 years ago
Beautiful work!!
Stacy from TinySacredThings said 4 years ago
Your designs are lovely. Congrats on your success and best wishes for the future.
Georgia from JewelMeShop said 4 years ago
Beautiful work! Congrats!
Olesya Bagriy from BelkaUA said 4 years ago
Beautiful shop! Wish you a great day and happy sales!:)))
Mėta Rutkauskaitė from CraftAndCeramics said 4 years ago
Gorgeous studio! Looks like a dream place to work...loved the works as well
fagrvintage from FAGRvintage said 4 years ago
Amazing art, you are doing something unique and interesting!
Megan Warre from MeganSWarre said 4 years ago
Really inspiring story, thank you!
BETTER LIFE THOUGHTS from POWERFULQUOTES said 4 years ago
Thank you for sharing your experience. It is very inspirational. keep on doing the good work.
Margaret from CavemenandDivas said 4 years ago
WOW! love your art:}}
Ombretta from indielabvintage said 4 years ago
I feel peace in this art. Congrats!
Patti Trostle from PattiTrostle said 4 years ago
Lovely work!
Renee from RandMhandmade said 4 years ago
Love your shop..you have a great eye for color!!!!
Mike and Jess from JessiesOrientalRugs said 4 years ago
Beautiful colors, congratulations!
Melissa Partridge from ColorMelissa said 4 years ago
Amazing Work!! Love the gorgeous shapes & colors!!
Julia K Walton from FireHorseVintageHQ said 4 years ago
Really gorgeous prints - love your work and it has been so fascinating to read about your techniques :o)
Bale and Twine from baleandtwine said 4 years ago
Fabulous feature! Your work is beautiful. Congrats and best wishes.
Printable Nature from printablenature said 4 years ago
Just lovely, such clean and pure designs! Congrats!
Craft Adorned from CraftAdorned said 4 years ago
Such a great artist to feature! Congratulations, your work is stunning.
Katrina Dzerkale from Dominna said 4 years ago
LOVE your space :)
Karen Yi from AlmostSundayInc said 4 years ago
Congratulations on your hard work and your lovely prints!
Jovita from alabatis said 4 years ago
Beautiful work! Congratulations!
Helena from Hobbyshop2015 said 4 years ago
Simple and beautiful ! A good combination of pastel colors . Landscapes are very beautiful surroundings. Success and good sales ) ) )
WindowDressingShades from WindowDressingShades said 4 years ago
Clean and chic!Many congrats!
HydrangeaJewelry from HydrangeaJewelry said 4 years ago
Beautiful colours! Simple beauty!
Linda Foerster from HollyCreekHome said 4 years ago
Love your designs! So fresh and clean! Congrats on the feature!
Ana R. from ongoodroads said 4 years ago
Printmaking is beautiful. Great work! Love it!
Adriana Blake from HappyMomentsGiftShop said 4 years ago
What gorgeous work you do, Emma! Love the minimal soft design : ) It looks so artsy in the living room photo, above. Congratulations!
Laura Prill from lauraprill said 4 years ago
spendid!!
allwood1 from AllWoodToo said 4 years ago
Very nice! Your work is very pleasant!
Megan Mills from theMakingMill said 4 years ago
Wow, so fun! And what beautiful work. This is a skill that I really with I had. I love getting to see the process photos! Congrats :)
wanida kunchiang from wanidacotton said 4 years ago
Beautiful work! congratulations!
Skatami from skatami said 4 years ago
Lovely work! congratulations!
Daniela Maldarizzi Casalino from dadavinylsanddesigns said 4 years ago
Nice!!
Richard from LeedsRadio said 4 years ago
Beautiful shop. Congratulations on being featured.
JOANNA from BUSTANI said 4 years ago
Beautiful shop! Congratulations on the feature!
Nadia B from BasicKnitwear said 4 years ago
Congratulations on the feature!
Dyan Smith from JoDeePetites said 4 years ago
Congratulations on being featured.
Tammy from Picturality said 4 years ago
Absolutely beautiful work! Congratulations!
Iris Harleman from kuku4vintage said 4 years ago
????
Heidi S from FashionBone said 4 years ago
I adore this shop!
Papillon Italiano from PapillonItaliano said 4 years ago
Lovely shop!!!
hq handmade from HQhandmade said 4 years ago
We really love your work area and your craft is fantastic! congrats... HQhandmade
CLARE CAULFIELD from ClareCaulfield said 4 years ago
A wonderful feature showcasing your beautiful prints Emma - Well deserved!
Hajira Gibb from HajiraKG said 4 years ago
Your work is gorgeous. Congrats :)
FeltWoolSlippers S from FeltWoolSlippers said 4 years ago
Congrats on the feature! I very like your works!
Rahma Aripratama from PLOCKID said 4 years ago
Wonderful art print! i like it ! Congrats on the feature!
Janet Snodgrass from CalArtistWatercolors said 4 years ago
Congratulations on being featured. Your work is so simple.
Jenni G. from WonderandKind said 4 years ago
Beautiful shop! Love your prints!
agnestheowl from agnestheowl said 4 years ago
Printmaking is magic! What an insightful look into that process and fantastical person behind this print shop!
Katy Allgeyer from ArtBarn said 4 years ago
Love the purity and hands on approach to your work.
Kevin Wright from WrightPrintmaker said 4 years ago
Love your work! As a printmaker myself I found it very interesting reading about your process, congratulations on being featured!
Megan McCurdy from OldSoulExpressions said 4 years ago
I love your story!! Isn't it wonderful how a simple "mistake" can significantly alter the course of our lives for the better!! Unforeseeable sparks of inspiration await us everywhere... beneath stones, behind paintings, within the patterns of clouds and the grain of wood. The true miracle is what happens when we make the connection between these things and our own unique creativity. I love what you've done with yours, Emma! Congrats on the feature!! :)
Unforgotten Dreams from Unforgottendreams said 4 years ago
Love your work place! Beautiful!
Soap Sista Peters from CHEROKEEWEAH said 4 years ago
Your work is beautiful, congratulations!
Hajira Gibb from HajiraKG said 4 years ago
Lovely design. Congratulations on the feature!
Book Clutches Store from BookClutchStore said 4 years ago
Oh, it looks so complicated to make painting using such big machines :) But the final result is just amazing! I am in love
Alison from PassingTides said 4 years ago
Gorgeous, yet simple!! Lovely!
mj gm from artprintscanada said 4 years ago
Really love your shop!!
Vintage Willard from VintageWillard said 4 years ago
Love everything about your shop