Ink Spot Press is a newly renovated print studio and workshop, run by Jane Sampson and Amy Douglas.
We have renovated this studio to provide those who wish to practice their art here with a clean, clutter free and accessible space.
This studio is a place for anyone who wishes to explore the world of print, be they established artists, those who feel a bit rusty, or beginners.
We aim for an inclusive space where all can meet, work and support each other in our practice.
All are welcome to ink up, squeegee and press to their hearts’ content.
Jane is an artist and printmaker with a special interest in screenprinting and photographic imaging. Her unique style incorporates paint and pigment, collage and textiles. Her passion for printmaking is apparent in her practice and she promotes the use of printmaking as a graphic art form without boundaries.
She exhibits regularly and currently shows at Bellis Gallery, Brighton and with Liberty Gallery at art fairs all over the UK. She has recently shown work in the Netherlands and in Dubai. It has also appeared in many adverts and film sets, such as Steven Frear's 'Tamara Drewe' and Woody Allen's 'You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger' and graced the pages of magazines like 'She' and 'Maison Francais'.
With a background in fine art, art history and commercial printing she is well known as a knowledgable and inspiring teacher. She has been passing on skills for over 25 years as a visiting lecturer in art schools all over South East England. Currently she works part time at Brighton University and teaches the occasional short course at Westdean College (the Edward James Foundation).
In 2000 she set up and co-directed Brighton Independent Printmaking ltd., Brighton's first open access printmaking studio. Building on this success she has set up Ink Spot Press with Amy Douglas.
Amy set up Ink Spot Press in 2010 with Jane Sampson. She has worked as a freelance artist for 15 years and has a broad range of skills, having trained in the Decorative Arts under Flavia de Grey RA at City and Guilds of London Art School. Amy has worked in many areas, from theatre to cardboard coffin painting, public art and ceramic restoration. She lives in Brighton has completed an MA in printmaking at Camberwell College of Art.
Les was invited to run letterpress workshops following retirement from the Faculty of Arts & Architecture at the University of Brighton, where he had worked for 25 years, latterly with students in Graphic Design and Illustration. Following his apprenticeship as a letterpress printer he thought he had the right to sit on a beach in Spain for the rest of his days. However, the need for money lured him back to the ‘black art’. He worked for several printing companies including JohnEnschede of HaarlemHolland and the Cambridge University Press before a move into teaching. After 7 years teaching apprentice printers at Matthew Boulton Technical College in Birmingham he was fortunate to be offered the post in Brighton and the prospect of working near the sea, in the warm South, was too tempting to refuse.
Brighton born John Packer was an apprentice compositor in the printing industry. He worked on local newspapers and trade journals before engagement with London shipping daily ‘Lloyd’s List'. He later joined the International Publishing Corporation group. Continental companies included Central Trikeriet, Norway’s leading print publisher in Oslo. John Packer has been involved in all stages of letterpress printing until its demise as a mass commercial technology before it was superceeded by offset-lithography.
From the mid 1980s until his recent retirement, John Packer was responsible for the letterpress workshop at the University of Brighton and taught students at all academic levels. Being compos mentis, and still in retention of 75% of his original teeth, John Packer regards it as ‘super cool’ to impart his knowledge and techniques to the starry-eyed, new afficianados of that obsolete 15th century technology.
Andy has been a commercial screenprinter for more than 25 years. His knowledge is boundless. Trading as Handprint, over the years he has screenprinted onto just about everything that it is possible to screenprint onto (including bricks).
Clients include the Design Museum, the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Issey Miyake, Eley Kishimoto, Graphic Thought Facility, Stiff Records (remember them!) Art Republic, Ink_d Gallery, Pentagram, The Charleston Trust, Posh Wash and many more.
Andy editions work for artists including Lydia de Pedro, Ursula Hitz, Chris Gilvan-Cartwright, Miller and Goodman, Hoodacious, Sophie Smallhorn, Lee Baker and C215.
Dan is a brighton based artist and illustrator.
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