Long before ink touches paper, a woodcut artist works entirely in reverse—carving away light to reveal the shadow, turning raw timber into permanent lines.
For Cornwall-based printmaker Robbie W. Jones, this deliberate, tactile medium is the ultimate canvas for storytelling. Rather than chasing fleeting digital trends, his art draws directly from the earth: the ancient folklore of coastal landscapes, the restorative quiet of a long trail ride, and the unyielding iconography of classic tattoo flash.
Robbie’s shift into relief printing wasn't planned; it was sparked by a simple moment of obsession. After spending a relentless year sketching traditional tattoo motifs, a sudden impulse struck: Why not carve these directly into wood? What began as a quiet personal experiment quickly evolved into an eleven-year journey of refining raw textures, honoring natural wood grains, and mastering a technique entirely his own.
By stepping away from the screen and trusting the deliberate speed of the chisel, Robbie turns age-old heritage into modern art. His woodcuts serve as a powerful reminder to step back from the noise, honor traditional craftsmanship, and reconnect with the simple beauty of hand-cut detail.
We sat down with Robbie to explore his decade-long path in printmaking, the art of knowing when to put the tools down, and the story behind his latest work.
1. Is there one moment you realised you were (or wanted to be) an artist? Describe that.
I've been doing my woodcuts and illustrations completely solo for about 11 years now. It was always just a hobby to begin with then, I started to get invited to small local exhibitions. So I think the moment for me was seeing my work on the wall and people taking it seriously felt like a huge step for me.
2. What has driven you to be an artist?
I think what really drove me was discovering a love for traditional tattooing history. I'd pick up these old flash books and relentlessly draw these old designs over and over. This all lead to me thinking, "Why don't I try this on the wood" and over time it's just developed into my own style.
3. What is your favourite medium to work with?
I’ve been working with wood for probably about 15 years now, there’s just something about it that I love, from the natural tones to the different wood grains. As far as designing my work, my iPad with procreate has been immensely handy to my whole design process.
4. What are you currently working on or excited about for the future?
I’ve recently just wrapped up some proper bucket list projects. Having my own solo show was a really big thing for me. I also had a huge opportunity to design and illustrate wine labels for a UK-based winery, and then to fully design a record sleeve for the musician Two Runner. I’m excited to get out and hopefully share some more work in real-world markets and exhibitions in the future.
5. How do you get through a creative block?
I’m lucky to have grown up in Cornwall, a place full of natural beauty and deep folkloric connections. So whenever I get to visit back home it’s almost like my creativity waking back up If I’m feeling burnt out. Other than that, sometimes you just need to put the tools down and get away from it. Social media puts a huge amount of pressure on artists to be constantly creating, so it’s always nice to switch that all off and get back to real connections.
6. Is there one person in your life that particularly inspired or encouraged you as an artist?
I wouldn’t necessarily say it was one person. But growing up in an artistic family helped to give me the confidence to go solo and try this whole “artist” thing as a full time job. I also need to give a huge shout out to my girlfriend Rachael, who’s constantly been there to help me hang exhibitions, offer feedback and push me to where I am today.
7. What’s one piece of advice that’s shaped your creative journey?
Is there one piece of advice you’d give to new or aspiring artists? One piece of advice I’d give to new or aspiring artists is just to get out there and try different mediums and have fun with it. I was originally painting and illustrating straight onto paper, but once I started working with wood I knew this was the one for me.
8. What are 5 things currently inspiring you? (e.g., music, books, artists, places, objects)
Me and my girlfriend love going to music festivals, we’ve just got back from Green Man and End of the Road festival. Being in such a beautiful space and listening to some of your favourite bands is a big one for me.
9. Where is the best place to view your art?
You can follow my art through @Robbiewjwoodcuts on Instagram and through my online site robbiewjones.bigcartel.com
