Tell me about yourself, describe your journey as an artist.

I am an artist and printmaker based in Penge, South East London.

I have kept a sketch book for as long as I can remember, using it as a visual diary and place to escape from my thoughts - mainly drawing plants and people. My books get most full when I'm on holiday, I love a palm tree or a cactus.

Since graduating with a degree in Illustration at UWE Bristol 20 years ago, I have moved away from illustration and developed my skills as an artist, showcasing my work at various exhibitions, including; The Urban Art Fair, The Affordable Art Fair and the Other Art Fair. It was at The Urban Art Fair that I was found by Will's Art Warehouse - who now represent me.

I started going to a life drawing group after feeling a bit lost in my practice. Here I found that I LOVED drawing the female form - it was meditative, sometimes challenging and incredibly satisfying. I love the lines in the human body; the round bellies and breasts, the knobbly knees. Coming home with stacks of drawings felt so productive.

Eventually this led me to lino print, I am now addicted and can't stop! My work is linear and flat with a lean towards pattern.

How did you get into printmaking? What is it about printmaking that you find interesting?

I can't really tell you why I started printmaking - I was feeling adventurous one day and gave it a go and haven't stopped. I love everything about the process - it's so physical: the cutting of the lino, the first time you ink it up with the sticky ink - rubbing the back of the paper and then the anticipation of peeling it off to reveal your image. It is a surprise every time, revealing different textures depending on how hard you've rubbed the back, or any bits you've missed.

I also love that idea of making a product by hand; especially when everything is so digital now. This is my hand drawn image, but now I can have as many as I like - I am the machine and I've worked hard on each piece with ink on my hands and cuts on my fingers.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Women inspire me. Sadness inspires me. I get a lot of inspiration from plants, but also love looking at textile designs to get ideas. I love palm trees - the lines and patterns in the leaves and the bark. The V&A and Kew gardens. Artists I admire are; Yayoi Kusama, Frida Kahlo, Alphonse Mucha, Egon Schiele, David Hockney. I also love illustrators like Isabelle Arsenault and Raymond Briggs. Elements of sadness appeal to me, which I think you can see in my pieces .

Many of your works are black and white, why is this? How does this create a mood?

I am actually starting to play with some colour - my latest piece 'Basking in indifference' has an ombre effect with yellows merging into orange and pink.

I absolutely love black ink - it is rich and bold just like the women I draw and it just pleases me. The contrast works so well with any patterns on the creatures and the leaves of the plants. Whilst I am very much drawn to colour in my life, I love creating in black. Black ink is juicy!

Tell me about your printing process from start to finish of one of your works. What materials do you use?

I compose the art using sketches from life drawing and plants drawn in sketchbooks from my travels, (which can just include viewpoints from benches in Penge!). I spend a lot of time trying to perfect my creatures. I somehow just 'see' what animal should be with the figure - depending on their pose and demeanor.

The image is then transferred to lino using tracing paper, and then I begin to cut - using my wooden lino tools.

Once complete, which can take up to two days, I ink up the lino with Caligo Safe wash inks and place the paper on top. I rub with a baron and then peel it off to hang and dry.

Out of all your work, which piece are you most proud of?

I am most proud of ‘I do Hope So’ and ‘Basking in Indifference’. ‘I do Hope So’ is so simple, but very evocative. ‘Basking’ is my first piece in colour - which is something that I am looking forward to exploring this summer.

In your spare time, you create artwork in your sketchbooks. What is the last drawing in your sketchbook?

A sketch from a life drawing group in Crystal Palace. It's of a man, which I usually find quite challenging - but I really enjoyed drawing his curly hair.

What has been your biggest achievement so far as an artist?

A lot has happened in the past year - I would say my biggest achievements have been being spotted and represented by Will's Art Warehouse - and subsequently having work at The Affordable Art Fair. Also, being accepted to be part of The Other Art Fair was a big deal - an experience that I worked really hard for and really enjoyed.

Why do you think art is important in society?

On a very basic level - Art makes you stop and look and think. I really do think that looking at beautiful things affects our spirits and can quite simply make us feel happy. Of course not all art is beautiful - it can make you feel all sorts of things which also has so much value. Making Art is a therapy.

https://www.rosielovelock.com

ARTIST INTERVIEW: Rosie Lovelock