Hi Rachel, how would you describe your work?
Hand-printed lino-cut illustrations exploring the wonder and whimsy of ornamental 19th century design – especially botanical or folkloric motifs – but with my own contemporary interpretation.
How did Rachel Snowdon Studio come to be?
My business is still relatively new, but feels like the culmination of many years of creative practice. I initially studied fine art at Central Saint Martins in London, where I trained as a painter. Later, I also acquired an MA in creative writing (poetry) at Exeter University, and even further down the line, an MA in photography which was again back at Central Saint Martins. These strands of my craft were all eerily intertwined, both thematically and stylistically, and I think they just needed that older, wiser side of me to weave the three together. Luckily that did finally happen when I found printmaking, particularly lino-cut, which suits my detailed and illustrative approach to working.
What did you do before setting up your business?
Prior to setting up Rachel Snowdon Studio, I was working as an antiques dealer! It is still something I enjoy doing alongside my printmaking, but now on a smaller scale. A vintage aesthetic very much narrates the images that I make, and I’m lucky to have a wealth of source material at hand.Â
“A vintage aesthetic very much narrates the images that I make.”
Where do you find creative inspiration?
Since moving from London to Devon 15 years ago, the folklore and wild magic that is abundant in the West Country has often helped guide my practice. I am also extremely fond of the Golden Age of Illustration, and other turn-of-the-century decorative arts movements, particularly aspects of the Arts & Crafts Movement that valued the natural beauty of the British Isles and placed emphasis on the artist remaining truthful to their beliefs, materials, and methods.
Could you describe a typical working day?
A brisk 90 minute walk in the morning. It’s the one truly quiet moment where I can either clear my head or think about tasks for the rest of the day. Then, endless cups of tea!
I’m fortunate to be able to work from home, so unless there is a pressing deadline, I try to mix it up each day, whether that is carving or printing lino, sketching new ideas, or the dull but necessary admin! Being an artist means accepting the unpredictable or unstable aspects of the job, so I try to use the quieter weeks or months to focus fully on personal projects or learning.
In the evenings, my husband and I take our dear old border collie, Gypsy, out for a slower walk together. I find it vital to make time to wind down.
“I believe firmly in making heirloom-quality art that can be loved, talked about, and passed through the generations.”
What is the ethos behind your business?
Although a great deal of exploration and intention goes into every image I create, first and foremost I simply want my linoprints to bring joy, curiosity, and perhaps a feeling of warm nostalgia. I believe firmly in making heirloom-quality art that can be loved, talked about, and passed through the generations.
I am the only one behind every aspect of Rachel Snowdon Studio, so the work is an extension of my personal style and the values I hold. This includes focusing on seasonal ideas, illustrating lesser-known local stories, or making a print that reflects my multi-ethnic heritage. It is also vital to keep my practice as sustainable as possible by using traditional ‘battleship grey’ lino which is made of compostable components, non-toxic inks, handmade papers, and British-sourced materials.
Tell us about your workspace…Â
I live in a small town in West Devon, in a 17th century workers’ cottage. It has a thatched roof and walls made of clay and straw, called ‘cob,’ which is one of the oldest and simplest forms of construction in the area. My studio is within a tiny inglenook of this home: it can often be dark, cramped, and a little chilly, but every day I am so aware of its 300+ years that preceded me; of the craftsfolk who built my house or inhabited it before I did. It is a privilege to still be using this space creatively – as history intended for it.
Tell us a little about your making process…Â
Every print starts with a loose set of scribbles or even just words, which soon develop into an almost complete sketchbook piece, ready to transfer to lino. I’ve also recently embraced digital drawing, as it allows me to easily plan out layers for my more complex and colourful prints. My favourite part of making is definitely the carving of each design: it’s slow and meditative work, and one slip of the tools can prove disastrous, so there’s also an element of risk and the unknown, right up until the moment the first print is pulled. Sometimes I will use small tabletop presses, but as I work with such fine lines, almost all my prints are in fact burnished by hand, as I find it gives me more control.
Is there an element of your work that you love the most?
People are always surprised by the level of detail I achieve in my lino prints, especially as I mostly work quite small-scale. So I think it is definitely that complexity that I love the most, and how that helps intrigue you to take a closer look, or ask about the story that is present behind every illustration.
“The online world is a hugely inspiring and accessible place, but one that I believe also has to be used carefully and with balance.”
How valuable is the online community to your work?
When I started out as an artist, there was no social media, so cultivating an online community has been (and still is!) a learning curve that often feels frustrating and unknowable. But I also wouldn’t be without it, as it has helped me connect with like-minded people, experiences, and opportunities that were far more difficult to find prior to the popularity of social networking.Â
The online world is a hugely inspiring and accessible place, but one that I believe also has to be used carefully and with balance, and never as a substitute for real-life creative interaction.
Working as an independent – what are the joys, and what are the challenges?
I feel incredibly privileged to be able to work independently, and to be able to make prints that truly reflect the things that I hold dear. Being a new business, I feel like most of my time is spent navigating very choppy and uncertain waters in every aspect of what I do, but I also see each day as another chance to learn, grow, and adapt – and all of this is only possible because I can work on my own terms.
As quite a shy introvert, there’s also the challenge of loneliness after days spent making with little contact outside of my immediate circle. Selling at print and craft fairs is one of my favourite ways to interact with like-minded customers and fellow makers; many I see again month after month, and so it feels like a whole other extended family!
“I try not to do the ‘hard sell’ but instead aim to evoke a feeling of narrative intimacy, history, and personality with each print I share online.”
How do you approach marketing and PR?
Most of my marketing is from social media, and rather than trying to cultivate a specific online identity, my home-life and sense of style completely mirrors the work I create, so I sometimes include photographs of myself or behind-the-scenes snippets. It’s important for me to simply be the authentic, genuine self you would see if we met up in person at a cafe! Therefore, I try not to do the ‘hard sell’ but instead aim to evoke a feeling of narrative intimacy, history, and personality with each print I share online – such as writing a Substack blog or ‘long read’ Instagram post detailing thoughts and ideas.
What have been your business highlights so far?
I’ve had the pleasure of exhibiting a favourite botanical and apothecary-inspired print of mine in a dream location: a wonderfully quirky medical museum in London! Recently, I also took part in the Bovey Tracey Craft Festival, a really exceptional and high-quality venue for makers.
Are there themes or influences which are the foundation of your work or style?
I adore the Arts and Crafts Movement for its attention to detail and decorative aesthetic. Gloriously illuminated manuscripts and closely-observed botanical studies are also a continual source of inspiration. A newly-recurring interest and theme in my art is centred around the finding and treasuring of objects: a printed tableau of pastoral life in the style of antique tiles, an incomplete clay pipe, a foraged plant – and how a more three-dimensional dialogue or a memory might evolve from each two-dimensional, printed image.
What’s one thing people would be surprised you do in your job?
A huge amount of research! All of my lino prints come with a backstory, a history. Although most people perhaps see them as purely decorative (which I’m always very happy about), part of my craft has always been to contextualise each image, and place them within their own moment in time.
Do you have any creative pastimes or hobbies?
I’m passionate about folk music, and regularly attend gigs or local festivals. I still write, and often think of illustrating a poetry book – whether someone else’s or my own. And all my best ideas stem from a good long walk amongst the trees, or a couple of hours spent bouldering.
Any good advice for makers who are just starting out?
I think it’s helpful to always be curious! Keep experimenting and figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t. And stay humble: the creative path doesn’t stretch successfully to everyone, so celebrate every win, but never take it for granted.
What does the next year hold for you?Â
I’m really looking forward to focusing on some larger personal printmaking projects in the next year, as well as branching out further afield with the makers’ events I attend.
QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS
Describe your work in three words: Vintage, botanical, folkloric.
What are your creating rituals? Loose leaf Earl Grey, a history audiobook, mechanical pencils for a sketching day, or a careful session of tool sharpening for a carving day.
Tea or coffee? Always tea.
Mountains or sea? Impossible to choose! The mountains of Scotland will always have my heart, but here in Devon, we have some of the most marvellous coastline imaginable.
Night owl or early bird? Night owl, but in denial!
