Andy English

A professional wood-engraver based in eastern England, known for his finely detailed prints that reflect the rural landscapes, gardens, wildlife, and everyday scenes of his surroundings. Deeply rooted in observation and tradition, his work often draws on personal connections to place and memory, capturing the quiet beauty of the natural world with precision and care.

English engraves illustrations for fine press books and publishes under his own imprint, Isle Handpress. He has designed stamps for Royal Mail and is widely respected for his engraved bookplates, which have become a particular speciality. He is an elected member of the Society of Wood Engravers and the Wood Engravers Network.

His path to printmaking began early, experimenting with woodcuts as a teenager before exploring other forms of relief printing such as linocuts. It wasn’t until he picked up a graver and engraved his first block that he found his true medium, a moment that felt more like remembering than discovering. A largely self-taught artist, English was guided by historical printmaking manuals, with early mentorship from Pat Townsend, a former student of John O’Connor and Blair Hughes-Stanton. He later refined his practice through courses taught by Sarah van Niekirk.

While traditional rural subjects were once viewed as conservative within the printmaking world, English has remained committed to them. For him, the countryside is not only a source of artistic inspiration but also a subject of ecological concern.