Hannah Scoones: Old Country Kitchen Light

About the artist

Originally from Cambridgeshire, Hannah Scoones has spent the last five years developing a practice rooted in the tactile processes of printmaking. Her work began with silkscreen printing in Cornwall, but has since shifted toward woodcut printing—a medium she adopted following an introduction to the technique in Finland three years ago.

The work is defined by a slow, methodical approach to both carving and printing. Working primarily with oil-based paints, Scoones specialises in reduction printing. This technique involves using a single block for subsequent layers, meaning the block is carved further between each colour. This process imposes a deliberate transience on the work; because the surface is altered at every stage, the edition is finite and cannot be repeated. Recent expansions into wood engraving and stone lithography continue this focus on traditional, labour-intensive methods.

Colour interaction is a central preoccupation. By varying ink shades across different layers within a single edition, Scoones often creates unique variations rather than identical multiples. Her subject matter ranges from the natural world to human-centric scenes, with a growing interest in the way light enters interior spaces through windows. While the technical process is disciplined, a sense of humour often surfaces in the titles of the finished pieces, providing a counterpoint to the permanence of the printed mark.