Lily Featherston

After graduating from art school with a degree in animation in 2012, I moved back to my home state of New Hampshire where I began experimenting in linocut. I have always been more drawn to making art with my hands, as opposed to digital methods. Even in animation, I created hand-drawn shorts instead of computer animated works. I find the process of designing, carving, and inking up a block oscillates between deeply meditative and intensely demanding. My creative focus is often centered around the moments in nature where simplicity meets detail. I work intuitively, with just a basic sketch on the block. I carve each layer as I go, and mix colors right before printing. This open process gives a lot of room for error, but I love the flexibility it provides. I often have a clear idea of what the final image will look like, so the process fluctuates between chasing what I see in my minds eye all while unearthing the image I’m ultimately making. The final product is often close to what I intended but I enjoy seeing the small ways it morphed during it’s creation. My work is deeply connected to nature and my surroundings. You may think, wow another local artist focused on Monadnock, how unique (ha). But truly, this mountain means so much to me. I grew up at it’s base, and I can’t help but find it on the horizon wherever I go.