Description
Two day workshop | Saturday & Sunday, 1 & 2 August | 2026 | 10.30 – 4.30
£185 Full/Keyholder member | £205 Ordinary Member | £225* Non-member
A user-friendly introduction to wood engraving from Anne Desmet RA.
This two-day class will look at historic and contemporary artists’ wood engravings, studying different tool marks, and learning to use the tools that made them.
You will cut and print at least three small engraving blocks: one will be based on a detail of a historic or contemporary engraving of your choice (from a range of reproductions provided by the tutor); and another from your own source material (small drawings and/or photographs).
You will learn how to ink and print both by hand and with a press. There will be advice about equipment and supplies for wood engraving and a demonstration of tool care/sharpening.
At the end of the course, you will have sufficient understanding of the medium to be able to pursue it further independently.
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Meet the Artist | Included in the price is an informal talk by Anne about her work and a chance to meet the artist.
Friday 31 July 6.30 pm at SPW: 19a Clarence Street, Swansea SA1 3QR
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About the Artist
Anne Desmet RA is an artist-printmaker specialising in wood engraving, linocut and collaged print, often of architectural/metamorphosing subjects, for which she has won 40 awards and has works in museum collections worldwide. Over 50 solo shows include more than ten at national and international museums. Desmet is author of eight books on printmaking/drawing and was editor of Printmaking Today magazine (1998-2013). Commissions include engravings for the British Museum; National Gallery; British Library; V&A; Sotheby’s and the Royal Mint. Only the third wood engraver ever elected to membership of the Royal Academy of Arts (RA), in 2018 she was elected an Honorary Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford University, for ‘distinction in the world of art’. She has a major solo exhibition at the Escher in the Palace museum in The Hague (November 2025 – March 2026). She is represented in London by Eames Fine Art.
You can find out more about Anne on her: | Website | Instagram: @anne_desmet
About the Studio
You can find us in a row of terraced houses, look out for our fabulous door surround set in a green painted house front; the intercom buzzer is on the left of the entrance.
Parking is free all day outside the studio on Sundays only. On Saturday, there is 1 hour parking outside the studio, so you can park there to unload any bags. 3 hour parking is available outside of the controlled city centre zone. There are also multiple long stay car parks in the town centre.
We are close to the main shopping centre and supermarket. There are some facilities for making a hot drink, microwave if you would like to bring along your lunch.
PLEASE NOTE* | If you are not a member and are considering more workshops with us, you might like to consider joining as an ordinary member for £35 and enjoy considerable savings on further workshops. Once you have joined you can book in straightaway at the reduced rate. For this one-day workshop you will pay £205 instead of £225. Additionally you will be able to use the workshop on open access sessions to pursue work independently.
Our Cancellation Policy can be found here.
