Heather Cobb

I am an enthusiastic newcomer to linocut and tetra pak printing, creating work under the name Tympanic & Frisketty. My artistic career began at 5 years old, I sent David Attenborough a drawing to illustrate what colour dinosaurs actually were. David wrote back with gracious thanks. I continued doodling.

I have no formal art education whatsoever. Art found me when I fell into the psychiatric system, art is resistance and therapy for me. After working in an art gallery and telling customers who asked ‘I’m not an artist, I just work here’ I gave in and took Lisa Stubbs excellent tetra pak workshop.

Growing up in the dinosaur deprived wasteland of 1980s Milton Keynes, I sketch old buildings, especially asylums, churches, theatres and mills. I take my inspiration from local places, my prints start as photos I take during dog walks around Mirfield.

I like the process, slicing away lino, hearing the velvety shurr shurr of ink under the roller, cleaning a tetrapak until it gleams, getting a noisy ghost print. Printing is a break from my disability rights activism, WYPW is where I go to get a bit of peace and quiet. Please do say hello though!