Meet the Maker: Mark Howard Jones
About me and what I do.
I’m Mark Howard Jones, a Hampshire-based artist and printmaker creating contemporary linocuts and paintings inspired by suburban life, walking, and local history. My work explores place, memory, and community, often through everyday scenes and recurring motifs like neighbourhood streets and dog walkers. With a background in Fine Art and experience across several creative fields, I now focus fully on producing linocut prints and paintings shaped by both research and lived experience.
I was born in Chester in 1960, completed Art Foundation Chester School of Art (1978 - 9), BA Hons Fine Art Loughborough College of Art and Design (1979 - 82), MA Art and Design Leeds Metropolitan University (1992 - 4), MA Illustration University of Portsmouth (2022 - 4). Recent exhibitions include the Landscape Open Salisbury Museum (2025), Society of Graphic Fine Arts 104th Annual Open, Mall Galleries, London (2023/4/5). Society of Wood Engravers 87th Annual Touring Exhibition (2023/4/5) Small But Mighty Open Bankside Gallery London (2023/4), Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London (2023).
Describe your printmaking process.
My work follows a natural cycle of sketching, carving, inking and printing, with experimentation and chance playing a big role in how each piece turns out. Recently, I’ve been running print workshops where local residents make designs for a public art frieze using Schmincke inks and foam board. I then remake their designs in easy-cut vinyl and print them with Caligo Safewash inks onto decoupage paper. After that, I cut and glue the prints with matt acrylic medium onto acrylic-painted plywood panels, which will be installed in the Boorley Green Community Centre in 2026.
How and where did you learn to print?
I’m mostly self-taught, but after retiring from teaching I dived into printmaking, taking lino and woodcut workshops at Badger Press, Bishops Waltham in Hampshire. I went on to complete an MA in Illustration at the University of Portsmouth, where I also learned intaglio printmaking.
Why Printmaking?
Relief printing feels liberating because its limits and structure encourage a different kind of problem-solving. There’s a rhythm to the cycle of planning, cutting, printing, reviewing, then cutting and printing again.
Where do you work?
I work in a 12 x 8 ft garden studio that I helped build, as well as in our garage. Lately, I’ve also been printmaking in Jo Morley’s 4B studio in Southampton.
Describe a typical day in your studio.
Right now, I’m juggling two projects: preparing for my first upcoming solo exhibition and creating a 20-metre community printmaking frieze. My studio days are a lively mix of admin; emails, ordering materials, renewing subscriptions - along with writing newsletters, blog posts and social updates, and keeping my website fresh.
I’ve also been getting my workspaces in shape: reorganising the garage where I build frames, repairing the studio window frames, and clearing out older paintings to make room for new work. I’m currently making and cutting tray frames for the solo show at The Arc, Winchester, and writing the descriptions and labels for each piece, while mounting work for browsers and posting on Instagram.
Alongside all that, I’m using Jo Morley’s studio in Southampton to print, cut and laminate large acrylic-painted plywood panels for a community public art commission
How long have you been printmaking? 5 years full time
What inspires you?
Much of my inspiration comes from being outdoors in the Hampshire countryside - walking the dog, meeting people and simply observing the landscape. I’m also inspired by visiting art galleries and reading art biographies. Conversations are equally important: talking with friends, fellow artists, and students often sparks new ideas. These interactions, combined with daily encounters in my surroundings, help shape my linocut prints and paintings which often take the form of maps.
What is your favourite printmaking product? Pfeil cutting tools.
What have you made that you are most proud of?
I’m most proud of my ‘Cut Loose’ linocut, which was shown in the RA Summer Exhibition in 2023. I created it to mark my retirement from teaching and shared prints with my colleagues. The piece celebrates moving forward, with our rescue dog Bruce leading the way. Hand-carved and printed in three colours, it explores change, freedom, and companionship.
I should add that I hope my current public art project—developed through community printmaking workshops for a frieze at Boorley Green Community Centre—will become the work I’m most proud of.
Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?
You can see my work on my website and work in progress on social media.
I sell through open group exhibitions like the RA Summer Exhibition, Society of Graphic Fine Arts and the Society of Wood Engravers travelling UK exhibition.
And I sell on Artfinder.
What will we be seeing from you next?
I am working on a community public art project and preparing for my first solo exhibition of paintings and prints at The Arc, City Space, Winchester 5th Feb to 12th April 2026
Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?
Nurture a supportive network of printmakers and artists, and keep your inspiration alive by visiting galleries, exhibitions and private views. Stay curious, keep experimenting, and keep learning new techniques. Don’t chase trends - focus on developing your own voice. Invest time and energy in your practice, and above all, enjoy the process.
To see more from Mark, follow his Instagram!