An interview with maker Ash Leaf Printmaking as part of our 'Get to Know...' series.
Tell us a little about yourself and your business…
My name is Ashley Hutchinson, I am a printmaker who produces limited edition lino and wood cut prints with a twist. Incorporating embossing into all of my designs gives them a unique look and feel. I also produce screen printed cotton tea towels and paper goods like greeting cards and calendars.
Where are you based?
Hassocks outside Brighton.
How do you make your work?
I specialise in relief printing, specifically lino and woodcut reduction printing. Prints are created by carving a design into a block of linoleum or wood, inking the block, and then transferring the inked image onto paper. Each block can be used to create multiple prints, with each one being slightly different due to variations in ink, pressure, and other factors. I start the design on the computer and then transfer the design to lino/ wood, spending many hours cutting the block and then using the 3 presses I have in the studio to print and finally emboss on to the paper.
Describe your studio…
In 2016, I renamed the company to coincide with the building of my new studio. Built in my garden, under an ash tree in Hassocks, very close to Brighton, I designed and built the studio myself to suit the exacting needs of my work. It's made from cedar wood and has a 1930's door which I bought well before building the studio. It took me 6 months plus from design to finish the build.
Tell us about your materials - where do you source them from and are they important to you?
Materials are very important to me and my work. I have taken a long time in sourcing the papers I use. This has involved lots of trial and error as the paper needs to take the embossing well. All papers I use need to be recycled or from sustainable sources. I re-use packaging whenever I can.
Why is it important to you that your work is made as responsibly and sustainably as possible?
I believe that we all have a responsibility to source sustainably for what we use.
How and why did you start your small business?
I am passionate about working for myself and being part of an artistic community.
Any fun facts about your business, or achievements you want to shout about?
For the last fifteen years I have been a supplier in the greetings cards industry under the company name Linoking Cards. I have sold to many boutique gift and greeting card shops around the UK and have supplied to the likes of RHS, Eden Project and V&A, also exporting to Australia, France, Switzerland and Holland.
My biggest achievement is supplying the National Trust, which was huge for me. I was able to buy my press from the profit from these orders, allowing me to get back into printing lino and wood cuts.
What do you love most about your small business and do you have a favourite piece of work?
I love the way I work, particularly seeing a design come together on the computer. The process is very satisfying, taking the design onto print, layering the colours, building that image, then adding the embossing, a subtle layer to my work. I think it's also being in a space on my own.
What do you think are the benefits of people supporting independent business?
Independent shops have their own style and their individuality. Customers want things that not everyone has, something that has been crafted and quality can been seen, I am proud to be involved in such shops.
What are your favourite things about PRIOR - both as a customer and a supplier?
I think Beck and the team at Prior are so hard working, they have brought an amazing bunch of makers together and it is by far the best, well run shop I supply. Thanks so much for including me.
Do you have a goal for where you’d love your business to be in the future?
All I hope is that I am able to make a living out of what I love to do. I love the way I work, from designing to printmaking.
View Ash Leaf Printmaking's handmade collection at Prior Shop here.