Jemma Gunning

Printmaker

Printing the past

Jemma loves the variety of her craft
She uses traditional techniques to record the passage of time
Her works document industrial decline and loss of heritage

From the first time she set foot in a print studio, Jemma Gunning has been fascinated by the all-encompassing nature of printmaking: the smell of the ink, the weight of the presses and the science and alchemy of the process. For her, this craft offers the ability to explore materials, from which she creates works that document industrial and urban decline, crumbling forms and loss of heritage. Using traditional techniques and skills such as intaglio processes, she records the passage of time in a nostalgic manner, reconnecting the present day to the past.

Interview

When did you first fall in love with prints?: Years ago I stumbled across a series of John Virtue's monoprints at Somerset House. I was drawn to the energetic and suggestive marks he used to convey scenes of London. Large-scale and dramatic, they drew me in and I have never looked back.
What inspires you about your career choice?: Being hands on and using traditional processes to document abandoned historical forms that are in danger of being lost. Every day for me is different. One day I’ll be teaching, the next climbing over walls to access a derelict building, and the rest of the time in the studio making.
Is printmaking currently popular?: With fewer institutions teaching traditional printmaking due to the expansion of technological processes, I am worried these skills could eventually be lost. It’s down to individual craftspeople like me to ensure they continue to thrive and stay alive.
What has been a career highlight so far?: In 2019 I was elected as a member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers, a big achievement and wonderful recognition of my skills and passion for traditional printmaking.

Jemma Gunning is a rising star: she began her career in 2018 and she started teaching in 2015