What I Think I've Learned About Printing

I was a print* snob. I did not reproduce my work. My business cards are individually made, all unique. When I make greetings cards, each is a one-off.

Last year, I started to rethink my thoughts. Hand stitching takes ruddy ages, and is therefore expensive. Prints of said hand stitching are a more affordable option.

With the help of the lads at The Weavers Factory, I found Klein Imaging in Manchester. A top-drawer outfit with all the eco-creds. They took fantastic photographs**, showing every tiny thread, of my Exile Textiles (above) and RA piece. The balls started rolling for some potential sales.

Nine months later, despite having a gorgeous product, I have only sold nine. I’m yet to break even, after the rail fares to Manchester and photography.

I have not given up, and have just added a new print to my shop. I’m hoping it could enable a partial ease-off on my zero-hours, minimum wage day-jobs.

I knew sod all, but this is what I think I’ve learned:

1. Good quality giclée prints, produced in an ethical environment, are expensive.

2. You need to do a lot of marketing. Probably more than I’m comfortable with.

3. You can’t take anything for granted. The RA piece had massive publicity on the BBC with Joe Lycett. I’ve sold one print.

4. Find a photographer and printer near home. That said, I’m sticking with Klein.

5. Keep your edition run low. With my first prints I insisted on a limited edition of 500. This is considered a bit ridiculous. Even Grayson does less. My new print will be a limited edition of 50.

6. Keep it simple. I offered ALL the sizes, but only the smallest (A3, £75) has sold, so far. I’ve decided on two sizes for the new print, but already I’m thinking I should’ve committed to the bigger one, which is so much more impactful.

Buy my prints here.

*I’m talking about reproductions, not printmaking, which is an artform in itself.

**Shout out to Phil Shelly.

Image: Exile Textile 3. Copyright, Alison Aye, 2024.

98 Circles

Collage documenting personal, local, national and international events. Five years in the making. Hand-stitched discarded paper (mostly newspaper) to previously embroidered (stitcher unknown, sadly) cloth.

31 x 81cm, unframed.

Exhibited as part of TAILORED 30th March - 7th July, 2024.

Please note, I have stitched the actual newspaper and NOT a reproduction.

Copyright: Alison Aye, 2024.

1. Spitting Image Covid i newspaper 23.11.20. Photo: ITV* Article by Ian Burrell about the return, after a 24 year absence, of Spitting Image. Created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law, Martin Lambie Nairn, Richard Curtis and Doug Naylor.

2. GBBO Trophy i newspaper 25.11.20. Photo: Channel 4*. Cake Stand Trophy, with the hands of Peter Sawkins, 2020 winner of the Great British Bake-Off. Article by Henry Bird.

3. Minoan Clay Vessel Metro 16.12.19. Photo: Uncredited. 3,500 year-old single-use wine vessel. Article about how disposable cups are nothing new. 'The elite were showing off their wealth and status by throwing these great big parties, feasts and festivals. People were getting together in large groups and much like today nobody wants to do the washing-up,' Julia Farley, British Museum.

4. Embroidery Sampler by Mary Frances Heaton Observer 14.11.20. Gary Calton is the only photo credit for the article, but I'm not sure he took this particular photo. Article by Harriet Sherwood about a new Blue Plaque (thanks to Sarah Cobham and other members of 'The Forgotten Women Of Wakefield') in honour of Mary Frances Heaton (1801 1878). Mary was incarcerated in a Yorkshire asylum for 41 years after challenging a cleric when he didn't pay the money he owed. She had been giving his daughter piano lessons. During her time in the asylum she created needlework samplers.

5. Eye of Norman Cornish Northern Echo 23.11.20. Photo: Sarah Caldecott. Article by Gavin Havery about a new mural of Norman Cornish (1919 - 2014) a pitman painter from Spennymoor, County Durham. The mural was painted by Lewis Durham, and copied from one of Cornish's self-portraits.

6. Royal Engagement Ring Mail On Sunday** 29.11.20. Photo: Daily Mirror/ Getty*. Once belonged to Diana, now belongs to Kate. 12-karat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 18-karat white gold, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. When Charles proposed to Diana in 1981 the ring was valued at £30k. Article by Emily Andrews and Ian Gallagher.

7. Extinction Rebellion Wreath Northern Echo 12.12.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Ted Hennessey about Extinction Rebellion staging a protest at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day.

8. Water Droplet Metro 24.10.24. Photo: Aalto University, Finland?* Article about how a material, thought to be the most water-repellent ever, has been created in Finland.

9. Gold Pocket Watch Metro 16.12.20. Photo: SWNS*. The watch was presented to Charles Lawrenson, Master of Cargo on the steamship Nubian, by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, in recognition of his services in effecting a rescue at sea. The watch, valued at 20k, had been stolen from a jewellery shop in Islington.

10. Pope Francis' Zucchetto Observer 29.11.20. Photo: Grzegorz Galazka. The Pope has written a book. Article by Julian Coman.

11. 12th Century Coin i newspaper 23.10.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Tom Pilgrim about an 'excessively rare' 900-year-old coin found in a field in Oxfordshire by John Denham.

12, 13 + 14. Coronavirus Symptom: High Temperature. Coronavirus Symptom: New Continuous Cough. Coronavirus Symptom: Change or Loss of Smell/Taste i newspaper 23.10.20. Illustrator uncredited. HM Government/ NHS statement about recognising Coronavirus symptoms.

15. Ambergris Metro 1.12.20. Photo: Viralpress*. Sperm Whale poo worth £2.4m, used in posh perfumes, washed up on a Thai beach and found by Naris Suwannasang, a fisherman.

16. Kurt Weill's Eye Observer 28.4.19. Photo: Lotte Jacobi, 1930. Article by Vanessa Thorpe about a Kurt Weill opera, The Tsar Wants His Photograph Taken, back on stage 80 years after nazi ban.

17. The Spirit Of The Rose Metro 13.11.20. Photo: Reuters. Article about an extremely rare purple-pink diamond selling for £20m.

18. Doorbell, 11 Downing Street Metro 26.11.20. Photo: AFP/ Getty*. Article about the then Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, painting a grim scene of the public purse, and possibly laying out his stall to become the next Prime Minister.

19. Brit Awards' Print by Ashton Attz London Evening Standard 17.2.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article about Ashton's design for the Brit Awards, and how they won the Evening Standard Art Prize in 2018. I was shortlisted for this prize and it has been a pleasure to watch Ashton go from strength to strength ever since.

20. Let Boris Be Boris Badge Observer 14.7.19. Photo: Dylan Martinez/ Reuters. In reference to Boris Johnson. Article by Nick Cohen about how the main political parties have been taken over by activists who seem to care little for the voters. Comments and Analysis page.

21. Buzz Aldrin and the reflection of Neil Armstrong Metro 19.7.19. Photo: Neil Armstrong. Helmet with the reflection of Neil Armstrong, 1969. Article by Libby Plummer about Nasa announcing plans to put another human on the moon in 2024. However, I've just heard on the radio that it's been moved to 2026.

22. Poppy Wreath Spenny News 22.8.20. Photo: Keith Taylor. Liz Lewarne of the Royal Navy Association, Spennymoor and Ferryhill Branch, laid the wreath to commemorate 75 years since VJ Day.

23. Matt Lucas by Nathan Wyburn Northern Echo 27.5.20. Photo: Nathan Wyburn? Portrait of Matt Lucas on a Potato, by Nathan Wyburn.

24. Great Ormond St Hospital Logo Metro or Evening Standard, July 2019. Conran Design Group* Advert for Walkie Talkie Tower Climb.

25. Green Cross Cut from Mam's Prescription Bag. Designer uncredited. From the final year of my mam's life. Miller's Chemist, Spennymoor.

26. Storm Ciaran Metro 3.11.23. Photo: SWNS*. Article by Josh Milton and Ben Ashton about the aftermath of 104mph UK winds.

27. Virus Infected Cell i newspaper 27.8.20. Photo: AFP*. Credited to The Economist, 2020. A scan of an apoptotic cell (pink) heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (green).

28. USA Election 2020 Logo Metro: 1.10.20. Photo: AFP/ Getty*. Article by Dominic Yeatman about the first televised debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the lead up to the presidential election.

29. Apple Observer Magazine 9.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. HM Government Pension Wise advert.

30. National Emblem of Belarus i newspaper 21.8.20. Photo: Reuters*. Article (from 2020) by Mary Dejevsky about the huge protests that broke out when Lukashenko was declared President. In January 2024 the Guardian reported that he has signed a new law granting him lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution and preventing opposition leaders living in exile from running in future presidential elections. He has ruled Belarus for almost 30 years. The next election is due to take place in 2025.

31. Lockdown Pumpkin Northern Echo 31.10.20. Photo: Gary Tidbury. Letters Page.

32. Wok Mail On Sunday** 13.9.20. Photo: Not sure which of these credits applies to the wok: Camera Press/ Alpha/ Avalon* I'm pretty certain none of them. Obituary of Terence Conran (1931 - 2020), ‘responsible for introducing the wok to the UK’, by Ian Gallagher.

33. Cricket World Cup London Evening Standard 15.7.19. Photo: Getty*. Article by Jonathan Prynn, John Dunne, Liam Coleman and Ted Hennessey about England's win over New Zealand in the final. 2019 was the first, and only, time England have won at the time of writing.

34. Door of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Guardian 12.6.19. Photo: Maxim Shemetov/ Reuters. Article by Luke Harding and Jason Burke about some leaked documents showing Russia's aim to exert power in Africa. Thanks to Jan Hicks for identifying the door.

35. Wimbledon Logo i newspaper 08.07.19. Photo: Uncredited. All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. General Championship update.

36. US Presidential Seal Metro 4.6.19. Photo: PA/ Getty*. Article, by Joel Taylor, about the state visit to the UK by the US President.

37. The Soyuz Capsule Parachute London Evening Standard 25.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. Nasa?*. Article about the safe return of astronauts Anne McClain, Oleg Kononenko and David Saint-Jacques from the Space Station.

38. Sophie's Head Cut from The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr. Picture Lions, 1973. Beyond repair. Illustrator: Judith Kerr, 1968. RIP Judith Kerr, 1923 - 2019.

39. Nicholas Parsons' Watch London Evening Standard 28.1.20. Photo: Uncredited. Front page photo announcing the death of Nicholas Parsons (1923 - 2020) at the age of 96.

40. Union Jack Umbrellas Metro 12.6.19. Photo: Rex is the only credit in the Metro, but the same photo is credited to Graham Hunt in the Guardian. Article about a cricket match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, by Aidan Radnedge.

41. 50p Brexit Coin Metro 27.1.20. Photo: PA*. Uncirculated coin observing the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. Features the date of withdrawal (31st January 2020) and the inscription, 'Peace, prosperity and friendship to all nations'.

42. King's Cross Clock Time Out London 22.3.16. Photo: Warner Bros*. Harry Potter Studios Tour advert. Possibly Warner Bros remake of clock.

43. Roman Coin Metro 11.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. 2,000 years old. Carausius Denarius. As far as they know, it's the only one in the world.

44. Donatella Versace Vogue October, 2018. Photo: Uncredited. I took the Vogue from the bin at work.

45. Infinity Mirrored Room, detail Time Out London 28.8.18. Photo: Uncredited. By Yayoi Kusama. Victoria Miro Gallery, London. Article about the nine best exhibitions to visit in London at the time. Edited by Eddy Frankel.

46. Hammersmith Pride Roundel Metro 27.6.19. Photo: TFL*. Hammersmith Station. Transport For London advert.

47 and 48. Picasso Tits Can't remember where I cut these from. Reclining Nude by Pablo Picasso, 1932. Private Collection, Rome. Marie-Therese Walter, with whom Picasso started a relationship when she was 17 and he was 45, and married to Olga.

49. Anglo-Saxon Coin Observer 12.5.19. Photo: EPA*. Article by Nosheen Iqbal about the magnificent Anglo-Saxon artefacts (a 1,400yo prince's tomb, almost entirely intact, was discovered at Prittlewell) on display in Southend, and how they are not pulling in the crowds.

50. Extinction Rebellion Symbol London Evening Standard 18.4.19. Photo: Alex Lentati. Article by Justin Davenport, Nicholas Cecil and Daniel O'Mahony about the fourth day of protests in central London.

51. Australian Banknote, detail London Evening Standard 9.5.19. Photo: Uncredited. Article about a misprint on the new (not so new, now) Australian $50 banknote.

52. Anti-fascist T-Shirt Guardian 15.6.19. Photo: Linda Nylind. Articles by Sarah Marsh, Aamna Mohdin and Esther Addley about the rise in homophobic and transphobic hate crime. Chris, the t-shirt wearer was attacked on a London bus and left with a broken jaw when she wouldn't 'perform' for a group of men.

53. The Zero from 10 Downing Street i newspaper 25.07.19. Photo: Uncredited. Front page photograph of the new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, under the headline, 'Brexiteers take over'.

54. Notre Dame Medal Can’t remember where I got this. I added this image as a nod to the fire at Notre Dame on 15th April, 2019. The medal was made to commemorate the wedding of Mary Stuart (16yo) and Dauphin Francis (14yo) in 1558. Attributed to Guillaume Martin. Silver. French. 51mm. Met Museum 07.02.

55. Cave Cut from Artrage by Elizabeth Fullerton. Thames and Hudson, 2016. Charity shop. Photo: Uncredited. Maybe Turk? By Gavin Turk, 1991. Ceramic plaque.

56. Help To Buy Logo Metro or Evening Standard July 2019. Designer uncredited. Advert for Galliard Homes.

57. Museum of the Moon Observer 7.7.19. Photo: Finnbarr Webster/ Getty. On display at Sherborne Abbey. Museum of the Moon is a 2016 inflatable installation artwork by Luke Jerram. It is a spherical model of the Moon, with a diameter of 7 metres. Several copies tour the world for temporary exhibitions, often accompanied by music. I accidentally stitched it upside-down. Apologies to Luke.

58. Birthday Balloon London Evening Standard 22.7.19. Photo: Uncredited. One of Priyanka Chopra's 37th birthday balloons.

59. Simona Halep and the Rosewater Dish Observer 14.7.19. Photo: Tom Jenkins/ Observer. Simona Halep holding the Rosewater Dish (introduced in 1886) when she won the Ladies' Singles Championship at Wimbledon in 2019. Article by Tim Lewis.

60. Wensleydale Cheese Observer 16.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. Alamy*? Article by Jillian Ambrose about renewable 'green gas' made from cheese waste.

61. Pound Coin Observer 12.5.19. Photo: PA*. Queen Elizabeth II. Article by Harvey Jones about people forgetting the have pensions.

62. Archie Windsor’s head and Prince Harry’s finger Metro 17.7.19. Photo: Harry or Meghan Windsor/Instagram. Article by Caitlin Doherty about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sharing a new image of their son on Instagram. Image also includes Harry's finger.

63. Coronavirus i newspaper 17.3.20. Photo: Uncredited. HM Government/ NHS statement about what to do if you have Coronavirus.

64. Saturn V Engine i newspaper 15.7.19. Photo: Kennedy Space Centre?* Article by Rob Hastings about a trip around the Kennedy Space Centre, 50 years after the Moon Landing.

65, 66 and 67. NHS: Face, Hands and Space i newspaper 5.10.20. Photo: Hands Face Space. NHS information page, reminding us to wash our hands, cover our face and keep a distance between ourselves and other people.

68. Painting By Henny Lees Original artwork. Posted to me by Henny Lees. Postmark says March 2020.

69. Deep Fried Mince Pie Metro 14.12.23. Photo: SWNS*. From a picture of Bill Rai, owner of Oh My Cod, holding up a deep fried mince pie in his Lincolnshire chippy. The article is about this and other unusual things he deep fries.

70. Boris Johnson's Birthday Cake Metro 16.6.23. Photo: AP*. Article by Sam Corbishley about Partygate and Boris Johnson's lies.

71. GCHQ i newspaper 12.8.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Richard Holmes about hackers, from China and Russia, breaking into the Foreign Office.

72. Judicial Committee of the Privy Council Crest Metro 16.11.23. Photo: PA*. Article by Craig Munro about emergency laws to fly migrants to Rwanda.

73. Golden Globes Trophy Metro 9.1.24. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Ruth Lawes about the Golden Globe winners.

74. Rose For Elianne Metro 29.9.23. Photo: PA*. Article by Liam Coleman about Elianne Andam, killed on her way to school.

75. FIFA Women's World Cup Logo Metro 17.8.23. Designer uncredited, but I think it’s Chern’ee Sutton. …“radial motif featuring 32 colourful squares – celebrating the new expansion to 32 participating nations, and an element commonly seen across the Indigenous cultures of Australia and New Zealand – is a prominent part of the design” (FIFA, 2021)’. Article by Tom Sanders about the Lionesses reaching the World Cup Final.

76. The Moon Metro 24.10.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article about how the Moon is 40 million years older than we thought. Scientists worked it out using lunar dust brought back by Apollo astronauts in 1972.

77. Wheel of the Gold State Coach Metro 11.4.23. Photo: Getty*. Article by Sam Courtney-Guy about Charles III's coronation route.

78. Brexit Bong Metro 3.2.20. Photo: Uncredited. Cut from a picture of Boris Johnson, with the caption, 'Banging the gong for Britain'.

79. Sad Face Emoji Metro 1.10.20. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Martha Alexander about ten years of Instagram.

80. Winston Churchill Coin i newspaper 28.12.23. Photo: Royal Mint*. Royal Mint £2 to commemorate 150 years since the birth of Churchill. Created by Natasha Seaward, a graphic designer at The Royal Mint, the Sir Winston Churchill coin features a portrait of Churchill as a young man in 1895, garbed in the uniform of the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars.

81. Bird Feeder Northern Echo 10.7.20. Photo: Uncredited. Family Photo? Royal Mint £2 to commemorate 150 years since the birth of Churchill. Created by Natasha Seaward, a graphic designer at The Royal Mint, the Sir Winston Churchill coin features a portrait of Churchill as a young man in 1895, garbed in the uniform of the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars.

82. Eat Out To Help Out Logo i newspaper 30.09.23. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/ PA. Article by Jane Merrick about Sunak and the farce that was 'Eat Out To Help Out'.

83. Lock Northern Echo 3.9.20. Photo: Sarah Caldecott. Front page headline of the Northern Echo 'Lockdown Is Looming'. Article by Laura Nolan.

84. Ronnie Scott Plaque London Evening Standard 24.10.19 Photo: Uncredited. Article by Robert Dex commemorating 60 years of Ronnie's.

85. Diego Maradona i newspaper 26.11.20. Photo: Uncredited. Obituary of Diego Maradona (1960 - 2020) by Ivan Ponting.

86. Ant McPartlin Wearing The Helmet Of Snakes Metro 2.11.20. Photo: ITV*. Ant McPartlin endures the 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' Helmet Of Snakes.

87. Madonna's Plait London Evening Standard 18.12.23. Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty. London Evening Standard's 'Pictures Of The Year'. Madonna at the Grammys.

88. Amazonian Ceremonial Necklace i newspaper 18.2.23. Photo: Kin Cheung/ PA. Presented to King Charles by Uyunkar Domingo Peas, spokesperson for the Sacred Headwaters of the Amazon.

89. Belt Buckle of Paul O'Grady London Evening Standard 29.3.23. Photo: Uncredited. Obituary of Paul O'Grady (1955 - 2023) by Robert Dex.

90. Cauliflower Guardian 17.8.19. Photo: Uncredited. 400% increase in the wholesale price of cauliflowers due to the weather.

91. Pacific Football Fish Metro 27.10.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article about a fish, normally 3,000ft below the waves and rarely seen intact at the surface, having been washed up on a LA beach. I'm afraid I cut off its forehead-light-on-a-stalk. That's not the technical term.

92. Snooker Ball London Evening Standard 18.12.23. Photo: Mike Egerton/ PA. London Evening Standard's 'Pictures Of The Year'. Just Stop Oil protests at The Crucible, brought a halt to the World Snooker Championship.

93. Post Office Logo Metro 11.1.24. Photo: BBC*. Front Page headline about the Post Office Scandal. Taken from a photograph with the caption, 'Victims tell their heart-breaking and horrifying stories'. Article by Brooke Davies.

94. Beach Stone in Turkey i newspaper 2.9.23. Photo: Mustafa Unal Uysal/ Getty. Article about the endangered loggerhead sea turtle.

95. Scales of Justice London Evening Standard 5.9.23. Photo: Uncredited. From the top of the Old Bailey. Front cover of the Evening Standard. Article about serious flaws in the justice system.

96. Lottery Ball Northern Echo 30.10.20. Photo: Uncredited. National Lottery advert.

97. Masterchef Trophy with the Hair and Shoulder of Lisa Faulkner Sunday Mirror 16.6.19. Photo: Uncredited. BBC?* Article by Scarlet Howes about Lisa Faulkner and John Torode, and how everyday is just like a honeymoon. Faulkner won Celebrity Masterchef in 2010. Her shoulder and hair can be seen in the background of the trophy.

98. Menopause Supplement i newspaper 30.12.23. Photo: Uncredited. Article by Connie Dimsdale about the lack of scientific evidence that some menopause supplements work.

* The photo credit appears as it did in the publication from which the image was cut. For the record, I don't accept the name of a company as the credit for a photograph. There was an actual person behind the camera. If you are that person, or know them, please let me know.

** I have never, and will never, buy the Mail On Sunday.

I Have No Thoughts On This Matter

I Have No Thoughts On This Matter, 2020.

Hand-stitched textile.

35cms x 35cms, unframed.

Private Collection.

Copyright: Alison Aye, 2024.

It’s about ‘good girls’ putting up and shutting up.

‘I have no thoughts on this matter’ was my mantra during 2020. At the age of 53, I had moved back to my childhood home, sharing a bed with my mother, in what turned out to be the final year of her life. I left my husband and kids and went 300 miles north. A place where I am undervalued and underestimated. Everybody else's time is more valuable than my own. It was expected of me, and I did it, losing both my jobs, pretending it didn’t matter.

For the 18 months I was there, hand stitching kept me on the right side of sane.

As always, the materials are recycled.

A friend was binning the tea towel, describing it as embarrassing, the way the middle-classes do.

The orange and blue are my husband’s old clothes.

The blue, a shirt I remember him wearing at my cousin’s wedding. I was a Bo-Peep inspired bridesmaid. The evening cèilidh was a riot. We laughed and danced our socks off, except Mr S, who sat on the side-lines, unable to make a fool of himself.

The orange, boxer shorts I bought on Christmas Eve 1991, from the Next near Charing Cross Station, London.

The red fabric, used for my signature, is an old National Portrait Gallery uniform. I worked there for 12 years. Undervalued and underestimated. The date next to it was cut from Amnesty International Magazine, Issue 206.

I Have No Thoughts On This Matter is now available as a limited edition print. The original was bought by a French woman, which I took as the greatest of compliments.

Photo by Ian Bruton.

Copyright: Alison Aye, 2024.