When selecting a species to depict, I was very keen to choose an animal I had seen in its natural habitat, so that I had an understanding of its movements, habits and characteristics. Although classified Endangered in England, red squirrels are not hard to spot in Northumberland, and I’ve even seen one in my garden in Newcastle. The linocut print was made using a reduction technique from a single lino block, using 14 layers of ink, beginning with the palest colours and recutting the block between each layer, ending with the darkest details. I used very fine tools to cut the squirrel’s fur and built up the colour gradually, to produce a layered texture. Red squirrel has been printed in a limited edition of just 5 prints.

Artist Gallery

Kate Miller

Kate works with linocut, producing layered prints inspired by nature and the landscapes of the northeast. This could be a wide view of the coast, city or countryside, or a smaller study of a rockpool, seedhead or hedgerow. Always there’ll be a nod to nature and its beauty and intricacy. Kate works using both multiblock and reduction techniques, sometimes both in the same print, and experiments with inking techniques to loosen the traditionally graphic block printing aesthetic.