How it all Began!
Hawthorn Printmaker Supplies is a family run business, offering high quality range of printmaking equipment to artists. Manufacturing our own range of presses, rollers and unique Stay Open Inks.
The business has been established since 2006, it all began in Barrys garage of the family home in Appleton Roebuck. Barry would often disappear for hours into the garage working on creating inks, etching presses and rollers. Jean his wife would on many occasions, would have to retrieve him out of the garage, otherwise I think he might have lived in there! His passion for Hawthorn evolved as one of Barrys first jobs was in the rubber industry, he then went on to work selling commercial inks and his love for model engineering, Hawthorn was the perfect creation. Barry’s son Michael would often help his father with the building and delivering of presses, while continuing his work as a commercial printer. Barry and Michaels other passion is for golf, you often find them disappear on a Friday afternoon!
During the year of 2011 the time had come for Hawthorn to move out of the family home, there was no room in the garage, utility spare room or even the kitchen table. The decision was made to move the business, this was a big move for something that had started as sideline. The business moved to Murton a small village on the outskirts of York, a rustic building with plenty of charm. Many over the years have described it as an Aladdins Cave! Very discreet and you often wonder if you have arrived at the right place.
2012 was the toughest year for the family, the unexpected happened and Barry suffered a major stroke. Everyone pulled together and the decision was made for Michael to leave his job as a commercial printer and take up the reins full time at Hawthorn, taking some pressure off his Dad. Barrys recovery went well, never quite as fast as he would want, but remarkably he was able to come back to the business, a few less hours in the hope he would take it a bit easier. Michael took over the role of making the presses and the rollers and Barry continued his love of creating ink. This is why Hawthorn has such a huge range of colours.
2015 Michael married his wife Katie, who started helping with the accounts side of the business and trying to put some order to the office. The creative people in the family are not always the greatest at paperwork, which Katie soon found out. Katie’s background of working in textiles with clients such as the Ministry of Justice, NHS and Ministry of Defence meant that the office started to change a little! Michael and Katie had their first baby in 2016 a beautiful little girl Chloe, who started her early days in the office and even modelling the etching presses! Three years later Oliver their son arrived on the scene another little helper in the office, the obligatory picture on the press had to be done.
2020 what a year! Covid hit the UK. This presented its challenges as a business, it could continue to operate as a family bubble. As studios closed the need for presses increased and the business was inundated with orders for presses. Everyone wanted their own studios with presses and inks. All materials are sourced in the UK so it was not affected by the global problems that existed and Hawthorn continued to grow.
2022 Barry, Michael and Katie visit Paris, Hawthorn is on tour! Meeting up with Laurent their French agent. What a time they had, visiting the workshops they supply their ink to, experiencing the culture of France. Obviously testing the Brandy, wine and cheese along the way. Gaining a wealth of information which started with the Stone litho range and continues to grow in other areas.
What started off as a hobby in Barrys garage supplying to local people has now become a business that supplies all over the world, what a journey! There is much excitement for the future.