Illustration

Wood engravings have had a long association with Private Presses. My engraved woodblocks are printed alongside hand-set metal type. The resulting books are hand bound and published in small editions. Many of my prints were originally engraved as illustrations, and I generally choose subjects that fit in with my interests. Here are some of the Presses I have worked with:

 

Barbarian Press is based in British Columbia, Canada. It has been a great pleasure to work with them on several books since 2003. These volumes are always well designed and set by hand. Jan Elsted is one of the most skilled printers of wood engravings I have worked with.

The Eve Of St Agnes - John Keats (2003)

Venus & Adonis - William Shakespeare (2005)

Fancy - 8 Odes Of John Keats (2015)

Ursus typographicus - Crispin Elsted (2017)

Suddon Immobilty: Selected Poems Of Molly Holden (2021)

In addition, I engraved a full page engraving for The Marriage Of True Minds (2023)

 

Oak Tree Fine Press commissioned three engravers to make a full page illustration for A Outrance, a chapter from Philip Pullman's Northern Lights. In addition, I was asked to engrave a title page and some decorated capital letters.

 

Incline Press commissioned a wood engraving for a New Year's book "In Conker Time" by "The Bug Woman" in 2017. I have since engraved three large engravings for a forthcoming project and will report when it is published - one of these was included in the remarkable "Memento Mori Memento Vivere" See Incline Press website here.

 

St James Park Press commissioned a single wood engraving of "Julia" as one of the prints contained in the remarkable edition of NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR by George Orwell.

 

Jericho Press is the private press of J. F. Coakley which has been located in Oxford, Ely and now in Alexandria, Virginia. I have contributed  small engravings to several projects, notably: "Brother Gregory, In praise of Ely". Translated by Janet Fairweather (2011) and then in 2019, the press did me th honour of publishing

"The Ship Of The Fens: A Gathering of Wood Engravings of Ely Cathedral" by Andy English.

 

The Isle Handpress is my own Private Press, producing occasional books mainly featuring wood engravings. In recent years, these have mainly been small/miniature books. More information on the Isle Handpress website.

 

Other Illustrations

Gruffyground Press     "The Way Through The Woods" - Ruyard Kipling (2012)

Front Street Editions   "Destination Norfolk" - Sir Andrew Motion (2015)

Horse Whisper Press   "Emily: Opposite Attracts" - Emiliy Dickinson (2005)

Profile Books   "The Woman In Black" - Susan Hill (2010)

 

Other engravings have been commissioned for wine labels, record and CD art, and postage stamps.