Rosemary Milner

Meet textile artist and printer Rosemary Milner!

Describe what you do: I am a textile designer and print maker based in London. Using natural materials and imagery to create block printed designs and patterns for soft furnishings.

Where do you live? Where do you work? I live in South London and work at my studio in the Elephant and Castle area. Bainbridge studios, where I work, has amazing print facilities and screen printing beds. It has a really inclusive community and I’ve been printing there for about 5 years.

Describe a typical day for you: I usually head out early in the morning to make the most of my day and catch the bus to the studio, or occasionally cycle. I’ll usually have a solid plan for my day that I’ve written down the night before. At Bainbridge you book printing sessions so I never want to waste a moment faffing about what to do. I’ll then start to print. I think the key to a successful printing session is careful planning and optimum preparation so that it goes as smoothly as possible. Printing can be a tricky business and it’s always helpful to have an idea in mind and lots of time to execute it. However, particularly with lino printing, it’s really good to experiment and let the ideas flow naturally.

Name a book that you read recently and loved: I’ve just read Waterlog by Roger Deakin which is a beautiful book about swimming in natural water around the British isles.

Favorite snack: I’m pretty much addicted to cheese on toast. Always Tabasco and sometimes with a side of kimchi. It always brings me joy. 

Favorite color combination: I really love an olive green with a soft red at the moment. I'm not sure if that's because it’s Autumn here but they do compliment each other beautifully. 

What is your most treasured possession? I feel like I have a connection to everything I own. Lots of my possessions bring me joy but if I had to choose one in particular it would be the small stitched house my mum gave me about 15 years ago that I use to house my needles. 

What is the best piece of advice someone ever gave you? Keep experimenting, keep trying new things because you’ll always come up with something you’ll love in the end.

And finally, where can we see your work? 

I also have a collection of screen printed cushions for the New Craftsman in Mayfair, London currently.