Lou Tonkin

Linocut printmaker

©Sarah Dollar

©Imogen Rosemary

Committing nature to ink

Lou is a Cornwall-based and Cornwall-inspired linocut artist and printmaker
Her designs are applied to many different surfaces and objects
She observes birds and plants for hours to recreate them faithfully

“Someone recently described me as 'the Beatrix Potter of Lino', and I quite liked that description,” says artist and printmaker Lou Tonkin. Having attended an illustration course at Falmouth Art College, she has been a self-employed artist for over two decades. Lou's linocut prints are inspired by Cornwall landscapes. “I feel very much part of our landscape. I know where the best Hawthorn flowers are and where I can expect to see orange tip butterflies,” she adds. The feeling of movement defines her works and people are often touched by the three-dimensional quality of her printed works. Lou's workshop space is an old 1930s bus shed-turned-workshop close to her house. Her works can be found online as well as in many shops and galleries across the UK.

Interview

©Sarah Dollar

©Imogen Rosemary

Do you remember when you first thought of picking up this craft?: I always loved the process of printmaking, even from my early days of trying it out at school. What captivates me is the process of reverse imaging and removing negative space, to leave the positive space that you want to keep. I always found this very appealing.
Do you master any specific techniques?: I am a linocut artist and I very much use the traditional tools of my craft: steel tools with wooden handles, lino blocks made of the traditional material and vegan inks, linseed oil and vegetable-based pigments. The smell of these is lovely, timeless and comforting.
What is special about the way you create?: I see the image as something three-dimensional, not two-dimensional, which means I can turn it around in my mind, just like one might an architect's drawing on a computer. I think this is very helpful for this particular process.
How does your creative process unfold?: I draw my designs directly onto a lino block and carve afterwards. I continue to change the design as I work on it; it is an evolving image. When finished, the image is rolled with ink and printed on sheets of paper, which I then sell as limited edition prints. Sometimes I develop the design into homewares.

Lou Tonkin is a master artisan: she began her career in 2000 and she started teaching in 2010