Flavia Pinto [Teaches Thursday afternoons]

Flavia is a printmaker artist and yoga teacher. After completing her Drawing degree at Falmouth University and embarking on a residency aboard a tallship in the Arctic Ocean, she proceeded to work as an technician to renowned printmaker John Howard at his studio in Cornwall. Her work has been part of several group exhibitions, including the RBSA, The Poly and CPS (Portugal). Flavia is represented by New Blood Art. 

Flavia’s prints set out to explore the natural world as a receptacle for experiences of the sacred and spiritual; to achieve this she makes careful, detailed etchings from observation, which she later on partially submerges in acid baths, cuts into smaller shapes, or leaves to rust. She likes to celebrates this unique possibility of etching by allowing each stage of an image to be editioned, sold, or exhibited – before re-purposing it into a something new. Her practise of constantly transforming images challenges the boundaries of printmaking as a form of reproduction, and reflects on the ever-changing qualities of material life itself.

Josephine Birch [Teaches Thursday evening class]

Josephine Birch is a Printmaker and author/illustrator with a first class B.A. in Illustration after which she achieved a first class M.A. in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art and is also a Royal Drawing School Post-Graduate Scholar.

Josephine has always been drawn to narrative and is passionate about drawing, working primarily on location, allowing the changing weather and uncontrollable factors of working outdoors to influence the direction of the work. Works begun outdoors are completed in situ;these works inform her print and picture books placing the work firmly in the natural world and allowing memory and a ‘sense of place’ to influence the direction of the work.  Josephine is an experienced workshop leader and lecturer and has taught at various institutions including Cambridge School of Art and The Fitzwilliam Museum. She is currently Trainer/Facilitator and Lecturer at South Devon College, running the Illustration Diploma, teaching art, design and printmaking. Josephine is published across various media, including novels, short story collections, picture books, clothing, and journals. Her picture book Selkie was shortlisted for the Stratford Salirya Silent Book prize and her work for Goodbye Hobbs won the Laureate award at The Image of The Book Contest and was selected for the d-Pictus showcase.