Sharon Curtis

Contemporary Original Reduction Lino Prints and Hand-cut Paper Art

I became a full-time artist in 2012 following graduation from Hereford College of Art. I live in the wonderful county of Herefordshire from where I draw much inspiration for my art. During lockdown my garden became my inspiration for my latest artwork.

My work has two mediums – as a Paper-cut Artist, creating three-dimensional artworks on the finest quality papers, with intricate designs that are completely cut by hand using the equivalent of a surgeon’s scalpel. Each piece is technically a one-off as there will always be variances between two apparently identical pieces (no templates, lasers, or dies are used). I only create a very limited number of each different design.

And the other - as a Printmaker, producing limited edition lino prints. Whilst studying at Art College, I developed a love of printmaking especially reduction linocut.
Reduction Lino Printing involves sequentially cutting away areas of the lino for each individual colour. Before I begin any carving I work out which bits of lino to remove looking at the positive and negative space, ink is then applied to the uncut surface and then printed onto the paper, this process is then repeated several times to apply 5 or 6 layers of ink all printed on top of each other. Any mistakes in the carving process (they happen!) cannot be rectified, and when they do, I have to start the whole process again. I only produce a limited edition of each print generally in different colour ways making each print totally unique.