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.