About Frankie Brown
Whimsical hand-printed linocuts, inspired by fairy tales and childhood stories.
I’m an illustrator and printmaker based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. I’m also an arts educator, delivering workshops in printmaking techniques. I work from my studio at Hotwalls Studios in Old Portsmouth.
My ideas often come from fairy tales or childhood stories. These stories teach us valuable life lessons of morality, survival, and how to find inner strength. If you delve into the history of these stories, the earliest versions are rather dark compared to the modern ones - and it’s not always ‘happily ever after’.
These dark themes, along with an interest in storytelling, spark ideas within me for illustrations. I enjoy bringing magic and whimsy into my work, evoking a strong feeling of nostalgia and inner-child healing.
Printmaking Process
I studied illustration at the University of Portsmouth, which is where I first tried linocut. The process involves using sharp tools to cut an image into a piece of linoleum. The surface is then inked up, and the image is transferred onto paper by using a printing press. It’s a very therapeutic and almost meditative process, and I think it’s my way of being mindful and finding some inner peace.
Although the process is simple, it can take me a long time to complete a final print from the first sketch. After sketching an idea several times, the final composition is transferred onto the lino block. I’ll start slowly cutting out the lino using my tools, carving out the negative space and leaving behind the positive to be inked up. I often leave marks to chance and decide in the moment how I’ll create texture within the block. By layering colours, I’m able to achieve a warm depth in my illustrations that I just can’t do with pencil or pen. Using this printmaking process really brings my ideas to life.
Teaching Experience
I previously worked at Handprinted in Bognor Regis; providing studio assistance in several printmaking techniques, group teaching and one-to-one tuition. Since taking on my own studio in 2023, I’ve been teaching regular workshops in my specialism of linocut. I also teach externally for other organisations and provide print demonstrations at events.
Exhibitions & Events
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Craft in Focus - Hever Castle, Kent - Group Fair
Winchester Print Fair - The Nutshell, Winchester, Hampshire - Group Fair
Printworks Festival - Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey - Group Fair
On Paper Festival - Bath Pavillion, Bath, Somerset - Group Fair
Liverpool Print Fair - The Bluecoat, Liverpool - Group Fair
Soton Makers Market - City Art Gallery Southampton - Group Fair
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St Barbe Open Call - St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, Lymington - Group Show - [Achieved ‘Highly Commended’]
Craft in Focus - Hever Castle, Kent - Group Fair
Paper Ink Print Festival - Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington, London - Group Fair & Demo
Winchester Print Fair - The Nutshell, Winchester, Hampshire - Group Fair
Printworks Festival - Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Surrey - Group Fair
On Paper Festival - Bath Pavillion, Bath, Somerset - Group Fair
Strange Magic Print Fair - Lewes, East Sussex - Group Fair
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Llantarnam Grange - Cwmbran, Wales - Solo Show
Bovey Tracey Craft Festival - Bovey Tracey, Devon - Group Fair
Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair - Victoria Baths, Manchester - Group Fair
Craft in Focus - Hever Castle, Kent - Group Fair
‘Odyssey’ - Hotwalls Studios, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Group Exhibition
20:20 Print Exchange - Hot Bed Press - Print Exchange & Group Exhibition
Winchester Print Fair - The Nutshell, Winchester, Hampshire - Group Fair
Ink, Paper + Print - Lewes, East Sussex - Group Fair
Hampshire Open Studios - Forest & Cove, Romsey, Hampshire - Open Studios & Demo
New Forest Wayzgoose - Brockenhurst, Hampshire - Group Fair
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Cheltenham Craft Festival - Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham - Group Fair
Paper Ink Print Festival - Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington, London - Group Fair & Demo
Guest Artist Programme - Hotwalls Studios, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Open Studios & Demo
Winchester Print Fair - The Nutshell, Winchester, Hampshire - Group Fair
Illustrator’s Fair - King’s Cross, London - Group Fair
Craftival Print Fair - New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Gloucestershire - Group Fair
20:20 Print Exchange - Hot Bed Press - Print Exchange & Group Exhibition
Snap-Shot Exhibition - Oxmarket Contemporary, Chichester, West Sussex - Group Exhibition
Chichester Open Studios - Venue 44, Handprinted, Bognor Regis, West Sussex - Open Studios & Demo
Hampshire Open Studios - Forest & Cove, Romsey, Hampshire - Open Studios & Demo
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20:20 Print Exchange - Hot Bed Press - Print Exchange & Group Exhibition
Joy Jam - Grateful Arts Club, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Group Exhibition
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Wilder Portsmouth - Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Portsmouth - Group Exhibition
Titchfield Art & Craft Show - Titchfield - Group Exhibition
Stockists
Forest & Cove - Romsey, Hampshire
New Brewery Arts - Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Craft Centre and Design Gallery - Leeds, Yorkshire
Number Four Gallery - St Abbs, Scotland
Llantarnam Grange - Cwmbran, South Wales
Herbies Health Store - Portsmouth, Hampshire
Memberships
Find a Maker by Craft Festival