The intricate art of printmaking will take centre stage at the opening of this year’s Wymondham Art’s exhibition season and for local printmaker Amelia Bowman, overseeing the town’s first ever Print Festival was an opportunity she grabbed with both hands.
Twelve of the country’s leading printmakers are participating, many of whom are from Norfolk, and with the beautifully restored Becket’s Chapel in Wymondham as the backdrop, it’s sure to be spectacular.
We caught up with Amelia to find out what visitors can expect.
She says: ‘In a world where AI is challenging the purpose of artists, especially print artists whose creations are regularly and incorrectly dismissed as digitally created and mass-produced, Wymondham Print Festival will provide an opportunity to showcase the originality and ingenuity of the human brain and hand in combination ‒ something that simply cannot be replicated by a computer.’
Where did the idea for the festival come from?
I am a trustee of Wymondham Arts Forum and we run a programme of exhibitions each year at Becket’s Chapel. Each year we look for something or someone extra-special to launch the exhibition season. This year
I was thrilled to be asked to not only curate the opening show for the 2026 season but to make it a print show ‒ the first Wymondham has hosted! As a printmaker, I am always trying to educate people about the intricacy, complexity and pure alchemy of printmaking so I grabbed this opportunity with both hands.
Why Becket’s Chapel?
This Grade I-listed building, parts of which date back to the 12th century, is a beautiful space with wonderful light and has become highly sought-after by both local and national artists as a venue to showcase their work. There is something special about exhibiting handmade and crafted artworks in an ancient, hand-carved and crafted building. A building where we hope not only to entertain people with the vibrancy, intricacy and diversity of our craft, but also educate them on the artisan nature of printmaking, ensuring festival goers leave with both goodies for their walls and homes, and also a deeper appreciation of the skill, passion and time that is poured into every piece.
Tell us about who is taking part…
We are planning on a showstopping array of printmaking processes and diverse subject matter, with an exceptional line-up including Kerry Buck’s wildlife inspired collagraphs, Gabriella Dalmay’s botanically themed screen prints and Rory McShane’s rustic landscape wood cuts and carborundum prints. Wymondham Print Festival will also feature witty letterpress work by Mandy Doubt, stunning bird-themed linocuts by Sue Welfare and delicate, embossed pieces by Oceana Masterman-Smith, as well as some new artworks by me.
How did you discover printmaking?
I learnt a smattering of printmaking techniques by chance as a member of staff at Wymondham High School art department. Our students went on a trip to City College Norwich to learn collagraph, linocut and drypoint. For whatever reason, collagraph was the technique that held most appeal for me.
I had been going through a phase of drawing lots of coastal scenery around Norfolk and Suffolk and saw the potential to use these as my starting point for trying the technique myself. What I had failed to acknowledge was the fact I would need a print press in order to be able to print the collagraph plates I was making! In another stroke of fate, the high school purchased their own press and I was able to use that whilst converting a mangle I could use at home. Printmaking is very hands-on, mechanical and almost always alchemical in its wizardry. That coupled with the added element of Heath Robinson in the mangle conversion appeals to me and I think that’s why it is this discipline that has stuck.
I am colour obsessed and as soon as I began to create my collagraph plates I realised I needed to add colour to my prints and wanted to do it in an unusual and quirky way. I adopted a technique called ‘chine-collé’, which involves the lamination of extra papers into the printmaking process. I began by using wrapping paper, craft paper and wallpaper but was never satisfied with the addition of something not created by me so I began to design my own repeating patterns.
I aim to create bold, lusciously coloured, uplifting pieces that are uncomplicated in their representation of the subject matter. Florals are a perfect muse. One of the greatest compliments I receive is that my work makes people smile and reminds them of happy memories from special places and so
I continue to work with the scenery we have in our county and beyond!.
Wymondham Print Festival runs from May 5‒May 17, 11am‒4pm daily (closed May 11). Free entry. wymondhamarts.uk @wymondhamprintfestival
