These deep blue berries arrive in late autumn. They survive the winter covered in rain, snow and frost to be followed by the sweet smelling, white flowers that remind us of summer.

Privet shrubs became a popular replacement for iron gates and fences in Britain during WWII when the government requisitioned them to use the metal for armaments. Though this didn’t happen, many privet shrubs still grow over sawn off fence posts. This may why some think the name of this bush came from the word, private.

In this print, I captured a privet branch I brought home from a late autumn walk. The few leaves left had dried and the berries were plump ovals of the deepest blue. This specimen I kept looked like it belonged in a botany book, so I included a little nameplate with its common name “inscribed” on it in this design.

These prints are made from a hand-cut linoleum block which I rolled shimmery gold oil paint onto. Using a press, I transferred the image onto this lapis colored lokta paper. This Privet Berries print measures roughly 6.25” x 10” as the edges of the paper are deckled by hand. The prints are named and signed in gold ink. ++Please note that these are “misprints” in that the lettering didn’t meet my standards, though I think it is a quality print for the price.++

Lokta paper is handmade in Nepal from fibrous inner bark of high elevation evergreen shrubs. It is a non wood forested product harvested from protected areas as it grows wild and regenerates to a fully grown plant in 5-7 years. Most lokta paper is made by women as men are moving to rural areas to find work.

++ please note, the gold ink is difficult to capture, it is certainly more yellow/gold than the copper tone you may see on your screen++

These are the only run of this print (aside from the silver and gold editions listed) as I unknowingly cleaned the ink off the linocut with a solvent that destroyed it. Know that this print is even more precious thanks to my unfortunate error.

thanks for looking! xo, kim