Where it all began
I’ve always been someone who likes to make things.
As a child, I was always drawing, painting or making something. I spent ages making cards for friends and family, and was forever trying out new ideas and techniques. I was also a bit of a daydreamer. I loved being outside, especially sitting under the big oak tree in our garden, looking at the leaves and noticing all the little details around me.
That eventually led me to study Fine Art at university, where I spent three years drawing, painting and experimenting with different ways of working. I specialised in portrait drawing and abstract oil painting and graduated with a First Class degree.
After university, life got a little busier. When I had my children, I found myself really missing that part of my life. I wanted to draw and paint again, so I started finding little pockets of time to get back to it - even if it was only for an hour here and there.
Then, one day, I stumbled across letterpress online.
I knew almost immediately that I’d found something I wanted to pursue. There was something about the whole process that really clicked with me - the paper, the ink, the physicality of the press and the fact that you could create something beautiful through such a hands-on process.
It brought together so many things I already loved: drawing, colour, paper, making things with my hands and probably spending far too long thinking about tiny details.
And that’s how Cotton Mole came about.
Now I get to spend my days designing wedding stationery, running an antique printing press and bringing ideas from the sketchbook to the finished piece. There’s always more to learn and explore, and that’s one of the things I enjoy most about the work.
Final year at art school, preparing for my degree show
A little more about me
Happily married and a mum to two young children, who keep me grounded and curious about the world around us. They’ve taught me to find joy in the simple, everyday moments - long walks, fresh air, and time together.
Music has always been part of our home. I previously taught piano, and it still weaves its way through everyday life.
We live a plant-based lifestyle and are mindful of the choices we make, both at home and in my work.
And then there’s Luna, our border collie cross, who joins us on most of our outdoor adventures.
THE PRESS
The story of how it found its place in my studio
This press carries with it a quiet history.
Before it arrived in my studio, it had already lived many lives. Passed from one hand to another, used day after day, and shaped by the people who worked with it. It came with its original paperwork, and a sense that it had been carefully looked after through generations.
I was told that, if cared for properly, it would outlive its maker, a reminder of the craft it was built for, and the longevity of the process it belongs to.
Each time I use it, I notice the small details that reveal its age. The worn foot pedal, the subtle marks across its surface, the tiny chinks in the cogs, reminders of every hand that has come before.
There’s something humbling in that. A feeling of stepping into something that already holds so much history, and learning from it each time I work. It demands a quiet respect, and in return, it shapes the way I approach every piece I create.
Working with it now feels like a way of continuing that story, adding my own mark, while honouring the hands and history that came before.
Each piece I print is a small part of that ongoing history. I look forward to passing these skills on and continuing to build on that legacy in the years to come.
Begin your Story
If my work resonates, I would love to hear your plans and shape the next chapter in the story of the press. Enquire below, and I'll be in touch.
