Mike Ilsley – Artist and Printmaker

Colyton, Devon

Mike has been dabbling in traditional lino and woodblock printing for the past seven years after a career as a CDT teacher, two Primary Headships and as an External Advisor to schools in Plymouth.

His principal aim was to move on from the coloured pencil, photo-realistic style which he practised professionally during his thirties and on and off for many years until his retirement, and to which he returned recently to fulfil a long-standing ambition to illustrate a children’s book.

After workshops in various aspects of Printmaking it was the craft skills in cutting lino which excited him, together with the skill of editing what you are drawing to its essential elements. The method of cutting and printing he uses is called the ‘reduction’ or ‘suicide’ method. Basically you cut and print at each colour change until there is nothing left of your lino with the jeopardy that it can go wrong at any stage.

Subject matter is usually nature or environment related but the main emphasis is on constant experimentation.