Bringing print back to life

Winterbourne Press has an antique Harrild & Sons lithographic press, which will be at the centre of a year-long printmaking project starting in early 2027.

Kate Dean, a printmaker and visual artist who is also one of Winterbourne’s volunteer press demonstrators, has successfully applied for Developing Your Creative Practice funding from Arts Council England to develop her skills in lithography.

Lithography is a traditional printmaking technique dating back to the late 1700s, based on the principle that oil and water don’t mix. Unlike relief printing, lithography prints from a flat surface. Ink sticks to an image drawn using greasy materials, while the damp areas repel the ink.

As part of her funded project, Kate will undertake a year-long lithography course at the Curwen Print Study Centre, alongside using Winterbourne’s press to develop and print new work.

The press has been dormant since it was acquired in 2023, so the project aims to bring it back into use, with plans to demonstrate the process to visitors at Winterbourne House.

With few places in the region where people can see traditional lithography in action, the project offers an exciting opportunity for Winterbourne to share another historic printing technique with its visitors.