John Ingledew (b.1960) is a prominent figure in photography and design. Based in Stroud, Gloucestershire, John trained at St Martin’s School of Art where he later taught for many years.

John’s undisciplined approach to creativity has seen him work with photography, printmaking, textiles and collage, as well as teaching Graphic Design, Fine Art and Fashion. John is also the author of four books for students, including, ‘The A-Z of Visual Ideas’.

Over the last five years John has turned his attention to working with clay and has combined this interest with his love of letterpress, using a play on words to create a unique series of pottery ‘Type Faces’. These characterful faces have been formed by pressing wooden type blocks into unfired clay. The antique wooden type blocks used were from the impressive collection held at Tilley Printing in Ledbury.

Portrait image by Emilie Sandy

Tilley Printing and Martin Clark Master Printer

Martin Clark, Master Printer and proprietor of Tilley printing, oversees the printing of each of our letterpress posters. Printed in small batches, these posters have all of the quirks and inherent characteristics typical of letterpress, making each poster a unique and beautiful piece of work.

For anyone who has visited the Tilley Printing premises you will know what a special and unique place it is with a history stretching long before Martin took over ownership. Originally established in 1875, Tilley printing was one of many businesses run by the Tilley family. Luke Tilley was the archetypal entrepreneur whose business sense and hard work resulted in the family dominating many areas of trade in the thriving market town of Ledbury.

For the first half of the twentieth century Miss Leonie Tilley was the proprietor and instigator of some considerable modernisation of the premises including the introduction of electric power to replace the steam generator and in the 1930’s Tilley’s collection of type was expanded to hold many avant garde type faces of the day. During the middle of the century the Heidleberg Platens were introduced transforming the production of Letterpress printed material.

Martin’s personal history and involvement with Tilley’s began with his five year apprenticeship at the tender age of 15, later going on to achieve his status as a Master Printer. During his career, which has included some time working at the Oxford University Press, Martin has maintained the traditional skills and craftsmanship of the Letterpress Printer.

Tilley Printing may possibly claim to be unique in the fact it remains a ‘Jobbing Letterpress Printers’ still housed in it’s original premises since 1875.

You can read more about Martin and Tilley Printing on our blog here.