Stanley Jones - Studio Director

My early training was in Wigan School of Art and from there I attended Slade School of Fine Art in London. Following my studies in London, I moved to Paris to work at the Ecole de Beaux Arts for a time before moving to the Atelier Patris, Montparnasse in Paris where I gained much experience in stone and zinc plate lithography and was also fortunate enough to work with artists like Giacometti, Le Moal, Sugaii, Severini and Soulages etc..

In 1958 Robert Erskine persuaded me to return to London to help set up The Curwen Studio and create an environment in which artists had the freedom to work in printmaking. At the same time I took up a post at the Slade School to lecture in lithography. It was a perfect combination for my skills working with artists, students and to produce my own work.

Until recently I have been President of the Print Makers Council, which I helped to found in 1964 and have recently handed over the chairmanship after many years of involvement in the society’s work.

Despite my busy life either working at Curwen or teaching I have found the time to pursue my own career as an artist. I work in lithography and painting and have been having one-man shows as well as participating in mixed exhibitions in the UK and abroad. My work is in private and public collections throughout the world.

My whole life has been devoted to printmaking; in particular the art of lithography and it has become more apparent over the years that there is a need for a central educational establishment to continue the varied methods of printmaking skills, before they become lost. I am pleased to say that the Curwen Print Study Centre is up and running - offering facilities for all forms of printmaking for all abilities from 7 years old upwards.

Jenny Roland - Managing Director

Although I only became a member of the Curwen Studio staff as recently as 1999, my memories and interest in the Studio go back to my childhood, as I am the granddaughter of Herbert Simon, then Managing Director of the Curwen Press and daughter of Robert Simon who helped set up the Studio to promote links with artists in printmaking. I can remember going on works outings with Curwen staff when works outings were still in fashion.

I have had a varied working life, most of which had no direct relevance with the art world, although I have built up strong skills in administration and customer needs, which are key to any business.

Having been born into a family with artistic abilities on both sides, I have tremendous admiration for anyone who is creative, in whatever medium. I feel very privileged to be working with The Curwen Studio and to be able to use my skills and enthusiasm in something that means so much to me and my family.

Tom Martin - Studio Manager

I studied A-Level Art at Cox Green Comprehensive where my first experience of printmaking was introduced to me through screen and relief printing; this seeded my interest in creating prints. From here I gained a broader knowledge of printing techniques through experimentation in etching, screen, relief and mono-printing at Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education in High Wycombe during 1992. I realised from this introduction that I wanted to pursue my ideas further by attending Anglia Polytechnic University in Cambridge on a graphic art course specialising in printing. This time was a valuable, creative experience and gave me the confidence to develop my own work and made me realise the importance of printmaking as a unique way of producing imagery.

My first experience of lithography was when I joined The Curwen Studio in 1997. Since then, under the tuition of Stanley Jones I have gained a sound knowledge of this versatile method and has given me the ability to work hand in hand with practising artists. At the same time, the experiences of working within a busy studio atmosphere meant that my own printing and painting is developing with a more considered understanding.

I enjoy exhibiting my own work whenever possible, which includes abstract paintings and prints based on the theme of music, using colour and shape to represent rhythm and mood. You can view my work on the following site: www.thomasmartin.turnpiece.net

Michael J Poynter Adams - Director

I was born on Merseyside and attended Art College studying both the History of Art and Architecture. During that time I was fortunate to meet John Lennon and subsequently was able to assist with the Beatles at the Beeb programmes and have produced over a thousand other programmes for the BBC.

Following my education my father felt unsure about the art world as a career option and that I should pursue a more gainful career and I moved into marketing where I became a director of a hotel chain and regional chairman of the Institute of Marketing.

I have been very fortunate to be able to enjoy the two main areas of interest in my working life, popular music and art, being given the opportunity to indulge both with the BBC and Curwen respectively.

I have been working with Curwen since 1993 exploring business development and growing projects throughout the UK, Europe and the U.S.A.

Nicole Langstaff - PR & Marketing

Having long been an admirer of the work of many artists associated with the Curwen Press and Studio, I contacted Stanley Jones in the summer of 2004 when I was planning a return to my first love, the Arts, from my second – horses – following a successful career in the bloodstock industry.

From an artistic family, I undertook first an Arts Foundation Course then an APDA Diploma in Advertising and Marketing before joining a London advertising agency. Having changed direction to utilise my marketing skills to promote thoroughbred stallions for leading international breeders Darley, Coolmore and the Japan Racing Association, I established an independent agency, adding Curwen to an increasingly Arts-based my portfolio of clients and now work part time for the studio.

The wonderful, unique and highly creative environment of Curwen has renewed my passion for the arts and encouraged me work practically in this field again; I now enjoy printmaking using a variety of processes.

Responsible for general marketing at Curwen and special projects including the promotion of the Contone* process and 50th Anniversary Event sponsorship, it is a pleasure to be part of the team dedicated to celebrating and furthering the art of Printmaking.

Sam Alper O.B.E - Born April 25th 1924 – Died October 2nd 2002

Sam Alper brought The Curwen Studio to Chilford Hall, Cambridge in 1989 when he became aware that the studio's lease off Tottenham Court Road, London, was about to expire. He had a strong admiration for the arts and quality, so the purchase of the studio covered two aspects of his interests. More recently he also was instrumental in setting up the Curwen Print Study Centre for people of all abilities to learn about all forms of printmaking. Both the Studio and Study Centre are thriving and owe a huge amount of gratitude to Sam’s vision.

"Why would someone who has been an electrical engineer, a chairman of a company making a lot of caravans, planted 19 acres of vineyard, converted a set of farm buildings in to a conference/banqueting centre for 1300 people and stone sculptor decide to get involved with a fine art print making company?

Why – a challenge and being convinced on two accounts, the high reputation of the name Curwen and the quality of the work.

I have learnt to see not just look."