Printing with Helen Murgatroyd

A PRINT COLLABORATION
with Helen Murgatroyd

In between the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, Bryony, the colourful and creative mind behind Palava’s prints, seized the opportunity to spend some time developing a collaborative print with friend and fellow printmaker Helen Murgatroyd.

Helen studied printmaking at the Royal College of Art and has spent the past 12 years specialising in linocut printing. Her characterful artworks are instantly recognisable in both their theme and style. Playful and often humorous, she captures the moments in and around food – from growing and harvesting to the ritual preparation of food, the laying of the table and coming together of families and friends to eat.

Second Prize for my Herbs! - 2020

The work of a print designer is a constant evolution – and for Bryony, who designs all of Palava’s prints, this is no exception. Working alongside another artist, in a different space, getting to grips with different or new tools and having insightful conversations can often bring a new element of energy and style to a design. Bryony’s mini residency resulted in her creation of the two SS22 prints ‘Peas’ and ‘5 a Day’, whilst Helen created ‘Wild Garlic’, launched in our Peggy top and Philippa dress.

The initial concept of how a lino print is made is fairly easy to grasp. You carve out the negative space of an image onto a sheet of lino using little trowel-like tools known as gouges.

Once your image is carved you roll some ink over the top of your design and place some paper on top of the inked lino.

A little pressure from the back of a spoon over this sandwich of lino, ink and paper (or if you’re going the professional route, a printing press) and Bob’s your uncle, the image transfers.

The beauty of a lino print is that it enables you to create all sorts of textures and bold contrasts. Detail is slightly limited to the proficiency of the carver, the sharpness of the gauges and also the physical limitations of the lino you are using.

The detail of Helen’s ‘Wild Garlic’ print is such a display of skill. From the composition, the capturing of the characters to the play of colour, Wild Garlic is a real work of art. The two colours that Helen chose create a beautiful interplay, with new shapes and shades emerging where they overlap.

Along with the print design Helen produced for us, she has also hand-printed a limited edition of 20 ‘Wild Garlic’ original prints. These are available on the Palava website alongside the dresses.