The Hazelnut Press - Fine Art Printmaking
The finest presses and materials are used to produce award-winning art prints. Printmaking courses are tailored to users. We offer an editioning service for artists.
Hot Off The Press
Spring and summer are usually our busiest, most outward facing months with Open Studios, festivals and shows. Sadly, we will be taking a break from some projects this year until things return to some sort of normality. These are the projects we are still actively involved with.
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Dickens 150: We will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Charles Dickens' death next this year with an exhibition of prints at Rochester Art Gallery. We will include prints by several members of The Hazelnut Press.
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The Fluid Landscape Sketchbooks are circulating, thank you for contributions so far. We have guidance notes and a gallery containing some of the pictures.
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Gravesham Arts have selected Heather Haythornthwaite for the Gravesham Arts Sponsored Artist programme for 2019-2020. She is currently working with Gravesend Art Group on the Fluid Landscapes community sketch book project.
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Ban The Mindreader Teatowels are available to buy. Please contact us if you'd like one, they are £10 each, £12 posted.
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Printmaking Techniques: Click here for a link to an excellent Arts Council video explaining various printmaking techniques. Also, follow these links to good printmakers' sites; Artichoke Studios, Laura Boswell, Crown Point Press, Nick Morley (Linocut Boy).
Welcome to The Hazelnut Press In Rochester
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The Hazelnut Press has established a fine printmaking reputation.
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The Hazelnut Press is an artist led printing studio in Rochester, Medway for intaglio, relief, letterpress, screen and hybrid printmaking. It is owned and run by Heather Haythornthwaite.
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We offer taster days and short courses for all ages, tailored to your skill and abilities. The studio can accommodate four printmakers at any one time.
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The widest range of relief plate making is possible using diverse proprietary printmaking lino: softcut, japanese, clear, traditional, foam board as well as hand made relief plates, printmaking ply, floor tile and repurposed flooring.
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Intaglio plate making of collographs from found materials, Karazuri blind embossing, drypoint engraving into plastics and metal plate, as well as traditional safer etched platemaking and aquatinting enabling the printmaking experience to be enjoyed at all levels.
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Water based, non toxic inks and materials are available, as well as more traditional oil based inks.
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Our attitude is both supportive, and open to experimentation. We encourage our students and members to exhibit their prints and participate in the Hot Bed Press 20:20 Print Exchange.
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We provide an editioning service for artists and accept commissions.
Courses
Booked Courses
Mon am, Sat, Sun and as required
Regular Printing Sessions
Mon pm, Mon eve, Tues am, Tues pm, Sat pm
Please Contact Us or follow links for details, also see the full studio calendar. Recent Workshops and Exhibitions.
Regular sessions and courses are currently on hold due to Covid, however please do contact us if you are interested in printmaking when restrictions ease further.
South East Open Studios 2020
This year's SEOS will consist of a number of on-line activities. More details here.
20:20 Print Exchange
The HotBed Press, Salford organises an international exchange of prints, and we have enjoyed participating in this annual event for several years now. Our earliest entries are not well documented, but more recent years are here to be seen. Each artist prints an edition of 25, and receives an eclectic box of 20 prints from a wide range of Presses. The remaining prints become touring exhibitions. We hosted an exhibition of over 350 of them in Sun Pier House in July 2015. Lack of space preventing a complete show.
It is a fun way to be part of something big, improve your skills and broaden your knowledge of printmaking. We welcome applicants, and expect you to make your prints here, where we can offer advice, opinion and practical support as you work. In this picture you see Liz Howe with her edition ready to post.
On receipt of the prints we meet for an evening to discuss, compare and swap prints, and our prints go into the Hazelnut Press calendar, which is available to buy.
Contact Us if you would like to take part, or if you would like to buy a 2020 calendar.
You can see our 20:20 submissions below.
The 2019 20:20 Cohort
2019
 Frances Bray - Yarn Theory - The Hazelnu |  Ana-Maria Ghitescu - Eve Blossom - The H |  Sharon Pallent - Grain Fort - The Hazeln |
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 Anthony Smith - The Noah Sark - The Haze |  Amy Alldred - arc rebellion - The Hazeln |  Ionut Bertea - Pair of Aces - The Hazeln |
 Pat Lock - ...and the rain.. |  Liz Smallwood - Pulse Points - The Hazel |  Gloria Holden - Flown - The Hazelnut Pre |
 Liz Howe - Gravesend River Pilot - The H |  Heather Haythornthwaite - The Windrush - |  Alan Smith - I am the sea - The Hazelnut |
2018
 Pat_Lock-Apple_Orchard 1 |  Anthony_Smith-Timepiece 1 |  Elizabeth_Smallwood-Boletus_Tubae 1 |
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 Gloria_Holden-Reach_for_the_Sky 1 |  Sharon_Pallent-The_Olive_Tree 1 |  Mary_Leonard-Hello_Autumn 1 |
 Heather_Haythornthwaite-Thief 1 |  Frances_Bray-Groovy 1 |  Liz_Howe-Beyond_The_Echo 1 |
2017
 Tina_Brown Fishy_Vision |  Frances_Bray Jumpolines |  Liz_Howe Original |
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 Anthony_Smith Double_Vision |  Pat_Lock Double Vision |  Dawn_Lyon Pride |
 Heather_Haythornthwaite Watching_You |  Mary_Leonard Double_Vision_in_the_Twilig |  Elizabeth_Smallwood Diplopia |
 Alan_Smith Harvest_Festival |
2016
 11_Frances_Bray__Weather_For_Ducks |  10_Gloria_Holden__Pods |  03_Liz_Howe__Gravesend |
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 02_Amy_Alldred__Out_Of_This_World |  04_Dawn_Lyon__Wind-Dry Only |  07_Tina_Brown__Thunder_and_Lightning |
 06_Heather_Haythornthwaite__June_Storm |  09_Sue_Maddocks__Paradise_Lost |  01_Liz_Smallwood__Ice_93x |
 05_Pat_Lock__Summer |  08_Kate_Craggs__Beach_Combing |  12_Tony_Smith__Looks_Like_Rain! |
2015
 Genille - G Holden - Hazelnut Press 2015 |  Too Delicious - Anthony Smith - Hazelnut |  Shirakaba - S Maddocks - Hazelnut Press |
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 October Wind - F Finn - Hazelnut Press 2 |  Lovely Pair - G Tulberg - Hazelnut Press |  Glow - D Lyon - Hazelnut Press 2015 |
 Late! - H Haythornthwaite - Hazelnut Pre |  I See Stars - E Smallwood - Hazelnut Pre |  Didi Dodo - F Bray - Hazelnut Press 2015 |
2014
 Hazelnut Press Sue Maddocks' 'Ebb and Fl |  Hazelnut Press Frances Bray's 'Monkey Bu |  Hazelnut Press Glen Church's 'Ban the F |
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 Hazelnut Press Tina Brown's 'Wild Hops'. |  Hazelnut Press Gloria Holden's 'Ammonite |  Hazelnut-Press-Anthony-Smith's-Rothko's- |
 Hazelnut Press Heather Haythornthwaite's |  Hazelnut Press Dawn Lyon's 'Untitled' |  Hazelnut Press Glen Church's 'Ban the F |
 Hazelnut Press Amy Vanessa Heron's 'Spin |  Hazelnut Press Tina Brown's 'Wild Hops' |  Hazelnut Press Gloria Holden's 'Ammonite |
 Hazelnut Press Amy Alldridge's 'Two Whee |  Hazelnut Press Anthony Smith's 'Rothko's |
Equipment
Presses, Inks & Paper
We have an 1822 Albion press which we've recently found out was used to proof the Evening Standard from 1822 to 1956, click here for details. It will print relief images (linocuts, letterpress etc) larger than A2 (24" x 18"), plus border.
The Etching press is a geared Rollaco Boxer made for us in 2009, bed size 100cm x 50cm. It can be adjusted to print relief prints.
The foolscap Albion Press, made in 1863 has an A3 bed. It does letterpress, linocuts and any other relief processes.
The 1950 Farley Proof Press and the Adana 8-5 deliver lovely prints, and our nipping press is invaluable for bookbinding. In addition we have various hand printing tools and techniques.
For workshops outside the studio, we have a portable etching press.
We also have an A1 vacuum screen printing bed.
We use a wide range of equipment for various plate making processes involving heat , light and an aquatint box. There are diverse tools for cutting and mark making, and rollers in a range of firmness and sizes for inking. Both oil based and safer water wash based inks made by Caligo, Charbonnel and Hawthorn are available as well as mysterious old tins of letterpress ink.
We keep good but small range of paper for proofing and trials, and recommend you bring what you want to work on. Suppliers are listed here.
Studio Sessions & Calendar
Regular Studio times
09:30 - 12:30, 13:00 - 15:30, 18:30 - 21:30
Monday, Tuesday and Saturday
Time to discuss and research ideas 18:30 - 20:30 Thursday.
To book courses or discuss your needs please Contact Us.
Studio Calendar
Dec 03, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Dec 04, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Dec 05, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Dec 06, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Dec 07, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Dec 08, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Dec 09, 2019
Displaying at Fishslab Gallery, Whitstable
Jan 15, 2020
Letterpress Workshop
Jan 16, 2020
Letterpress Workshop
Jan 18, 2020
Letterpress Workshop
Jan 19, 2020
Letterpress Workshop
Jun 12, 2020
Medway Print Festival and South East Open Studios
Jun 13, 2020
Medway Print Festival and South East Open Studios
Jun 19, 2020
Medway Print Festival and South East Open Studios
Jun 20, 2020
Medway Print Festival and South East Open Studios
Jul 03, 2020
Open for Medway Open Studios
Jul 04, 2020
Open for Medway Open Studios
Jul 10, 2020
Open for Medway Open Studios
Jul 11, 2020
Open for Medway Open Studios
Ban The Mindreader Teatowels
‘Ban the Mindreader’ the tea towel is for sale
We don't have a shop on this site at the moment, so please use the instructions below to buy one.
The price is £10 each, or £18 for two, excluding postage and PayPal charges.
How to Order
Email us to arrange a collection time, pay with cash or bank transfer on collection.
Or email us with your name and delivery address. We’ll send you PayPal details, and post them to you. Remember to add £2.00 to your order for postage and PayPal .
Editioning
Editioning is the process of creating a run of prints from a prepared linocut, woodcut, etched plate etc.
The Hazelnut Press can take your finished plate and return you a set of prints.
The editioned prints are usually are presented in hand cut mounts using conservation grade mountboard.
Editions are usually of 30 with four Artist Proofs . The uncompromising approach to the image, the process and presentation creates an object of fine quality. The edition number is listed on every print.
We can also print cards and labels.
