Natural features of landscape such as rock formations and fossils, together with a lifelong interest in birds, form the basis of Yvonne's printmaking.   Yvonne likes to explore the multi-texured surfaces of collagraphs and the bold shapes made by cutting into lino blocks.

sun  moon birds  linocut  © 2008  yvonne elvin

 www.artelvin.co.uk 

Yvonne is currently attending the MA Fine Arts programme at York St John University. 

In August 2009, she enjoyed a four weeks artist's residency for printmaking at the Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont, USA.

"Having gained a degree in Fine Art Printmaking from Staffordshire University, where I was able to explore a variety of printmaking techniques, I went on to work in the print industry as a graphic designer and printer, in both lithographic reproduction and screen printing. After an interlude as a mural artist, I have now returned to printmaking and painting. Collagraphs and linocuts are my preferred media.

I enjoy making collagraph plates by building up layers of adhesives, using tools to form a variety of marks and textures. The malleable, sometimes unpredictable nature of the materials affords exciting ways of working. The process of inking the plates bears some similarity to painting, and gives collagraph prints a richness and depth of colour, as well as an embossed finish. By contrast, cutting into lino blocks is a more direct method of making images, well suited to clean lines and to flat blocks of colour.

My images express particular qualities that I find in the landscape, in living things, and in the built environment. I am fascinated by the traces left both by natural processes - driftwood, rock pools, fossils - and by people - rock carvings, abandoned objects, pathways and footprints".