About Melissa Birch

I have a passion for lino print, using handmade Japanese papers and a method of printing by hand using a baron.  I produce limited edition prints in my garden studio which celebrate the beauty of everyday flora and fauna.

Living on the edge of the South Downs in West Sussex feeds my relationship with nature, floral forms and structures.  The morning sun falling on a roadside thistle can literally stop me in my tracks.  I regularly draw inspiration from the unruly flowerbeds of my own back garden, as well as the local countryside. The challenge I then set myself is how to capture that delicate plant in carved line and shape.  Simplicity of form is a strong feature of my work, and a lot of planning, refining and designing goes into creating the subtly minimalist results.

I enjoy my work and having a sense of play is an important part of the process.  I feel that a light, joyful touch is most representative of the subjects that inspire me.  Some of my most creative moments come about when I am playing and experimenting with pens and paint.  Hopefully some of that childlike enjoyment stays with the imagery when I go back to work in the studio.