I came across the work of Rob Barnes in Norfolk, England while hunting for a card to send to an old friend abroad. I was immediately struck by the clarity, colour and narrative of his prints and his ability to capture the essence of the Norfolk countryside across the seasons. Norfolk is a big open landscape and there is much hidden in the depths of the scenery resting beneath the vast skies and long horizons. There is often an epic quality to the view that often stands in contrast to the softer, more rolling contours found across the rest of England.
I sensed that Rob had a deep connection with this land and became intrigued by how he translated it through the traditional lino-cut printing process. I spent a wonderful few hours in his studio where he introduced me to his beautiful Albion press and the intricate journey undertaken to make these prints - an atavistic process whose roots reach back to the ancient art of woodcut printing. We then explored the surrounding landscape from where some of his inspiration is drawn.
