Meet the Printmaker - Charlotte Farmer

Charlotte Farmer screen printing at Spike Island Print Studios

Please can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your work…What sort of prints do you make? 
I'm Charlotte Farmer – Illustrator & screenprinter with a love of gold and fluroescent.

What is your earliest recollection of making a print and what made you to want to do more?
My first print was made while I was doing an art foundation course. The print department was on the top floor of the foundation building, it smelt great and was where all the cool kids in their Black Flag T-shirts seemed to be. Once I peeled back the paper on my first print (a linocut of a chair) there was no going back – I went on to a fine art degree specializing in printmaking where I got hooked on screen printing...

What inspires you and are there any themes or ideas that often run through your work? 
I love drawing grumpy looking animals and my cat Margo makes regular appearances. But I have branched out into more exotic creatures in my recent work. I like to imagine what thoughts or conversations all the aniamls (or whatever else I've been drawing) might be having. I think titles are really important as they can influence how people see your work.

Could you give us an insight into where you work – your studio/workspace and where you print? 
I print at the very fabulous Spike Print Studio, an amazing space with interesting people to talk to which is good because the rest of my time is spent home alone drawing.

The work of which other printmaker/s do you admire? 
I've always been a big fan of Robert Rauschenberg's screenprints and David Hockney's Rake's Progress etchings. Closer to home I like Luice Sheridan, Jane Ormes and Anna Marrow's work – Anna and I both went through the rigors of a St Martins MA (they tried to stop us printing!)
They all draw brilliantly, use great colour combinations and there is always an element of humour or something that makes you wonder what is going on.

Printmaking is made up of lots of different processes, which aspect do you enjoy the most?
The way the last colour makes all the other, seemingly random blobs of colour make sense...that's if it's all worked out ok.

Bananas

Can you share a little printing trick or secret with us ? 
It doesn't fit in with the image of an artist but you have to be ridiculously organised when you're screen printing, if you're not it can easily all go horribly wrong.

How would you like to develop your printmaking skills in the future? 
I like embossing – and always mean to do more.

Which printed publication do you most look forward to thumbing through? 
Wrap magazine

Monochrome or multi-coloured? 
Both and gold and fluroescent.

Thanks Charlotte. We love the playfulness of you work and the assortment of colours that you use so well together.

Charlotte Farmer's work is currently featured in the second volume of The Print Shop, which finishes this Sunday, but don't worry, she'll also be in Volume 3 too! So get yourself down there to see the selection of work she has on display, including greetings cards, mounted prints and framed pieces on a lovely display wall. Also remember to put Wednesday 2nd October in you diaries for the launch of the new exciting Volume 3!

The Print Shop

Unit 6

Quakers Friars

Cabot Circus

Bristol

BS1 3BU

Open Daily

Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm

Sun 11am - 5pm