Meet the Maker : Victoria Ford

Hi, I’m Victoria Ford. I’m a linocut artist from Norfolk, printing the local wildlife that surrounds me and I work predominantly in black ink. This is my part-time job, during the day I’m a full-time tattoo artist. 

Describe your printmaking process. 

I’m an outdoor person, I love running and gardening. This is where I get the inspiration for my art. I take a lot of photos while I’m out before I turn any inspiration into sketches. I like to get every detail onto my Lino before I start carving, so I line it all with a marker pen first. As for the printing itself, I’m in a very tiny room, so all my pieces are hand pressed with a glass baren and wooden spoon (even the larger pieces) Can be quite the workout! 

How and where did you learn to print? 

I’m a self-taught printmaker. I saw a ten-minute segment on a TV show 5 years ago showing printmaking and thought I’d give it a go. I was hooked from the very first print.

Why printmaking? 

I'd previously dabbled in paint and pencils, but nothing really grabbed me like printmaking. I grew up reading a lot of old wildlife books, which (unknown to young me) were full of wood engravings. This is the style I aim for with my Lino printing. Also, you never beat the magic of peeling that print off the block ever.

Where do you work? 

I work in a small country village on the edge of fields in Swanton Morley in Norfolk. My studio is the spare room in my house. 

Describe a typical day in your studio. 

My typical day is to do my day job first! lol! (I’m a full-time tattoo artist) . After work, I do a few hours of carving and packing any orders. Social media, which is also a big part of the job is squeezed in between all of that. Printing is reserved for weekends. I tend to just print a few of each print at a time as and when I need them. There are not enough hours in the day!

How long have you been printmaking?  

I’ve been printmaking for 5 years now. 

What inspires you? 

My inspiration is all around me in the countryside. I’m truly lucky that I get so much wildlife visiting my garden (which I capture on my trail cam). Nature has always been my muse. 

What is your favourite printmaking product? 

My favourite printmaking product is my Pfeil V tool. I use this for most of my work. It produces wonderful fine lines. 

What have you made that you are most proud of? 

I think it was a linocut print I did of a kingfisher diving, so you had the above and underwater view. This was my first edition to sell out, so happy that this piece resonated with so many people!

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? 

I have done the occasional gallery showing, but to see my work it’s all online at the moment. Mostly Instagram and threads. I sell my work via Etsy.

What will we be seeing from you next? 

I'm currently working on a hedgehog in a vegetable garden at the moment. The spines have taken a particularly long time to carve. 

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives? 

My advice to printmakers and creatives is to just do what you love, not what you think people want to see. So for me, that is all the wonderful wildlife we have here. 

To see more from Victoria, follow her on Instagram!