Intaglio Printmaker Prize Winner: Vicky Huang

Please could you tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind the work? 

I am a first-generation immigrant in the UK. My cultural roots feel like a piece of clothing I’ve always worn — so close that I hardly noticed them growing up. But the further I’ve gone, the more I’ve wanted to understand where I come from, and to reconnect with that heritage.

I began studying traditional Chinese art and textile archives more deeply. The inspiration for this print comes from “Die Lian Hua” (“Butterfly Loves Flowers”), a classic motif in Chinese textiles and ceramics that reflects the rhythm and beauty of life in nature.

My work grows out of a deep appreciation for Chinese aesthetics. When my cultural background is no longer just something invisible in daily life, it quietly takes on new meaning. Through my practice, I hope to create new possibilities for how it can be seen.

What made you get into printmaking? 

I first tried linocut printing in my final year of high school while preparing a portfolio for art college. Until then, I had mostly repeated the same painted self-portraits for my SQA exams. Printmaking opened a door to experiment with new processes. Relief printing felt fresh and hands-on. Printmaking is not only about the finished piece, but also about the surprises that happen along the way. That unpredictability made me feel more creative.

 Tell us about your other works – are they similar or different? Do you tend to work within one technique?

I often experiment with more expressive approaches to linocut engraving. At the Royal College of Art, my degree show work was inspired by walking as a way of self-healing. The project asked: what comes after grief?

Using freer mark-making with carving tools, I reflected on different emotional stages. The directness of carving reminded me of walking step by step. Later, I transformed these linocut prints into screen prints on fabrics of different transparencies and weights, which became part of a textile installation.

In this sense, my works are similar — they are rooted in slow craft processes and in storytelling.

I studied printed textiles for both my BA and MA. The two techniques I return to most are screen printing on fabric and linocut. I enjoy translating the fine detail of linocut into larger-scale fabric prints, where shape, colour, and texture interact in new ways.

I believe techniques are endless, and I still have much to explore.

What would be on your ultimate Intaglio Printmaker wish list?

75mm x 75mm lino blocks — my all-time favourite for testing ideas and small projects.

Polymetaal JPV Series press — I think a big press is a work of art in itself.

Ball Drying Rack — always useful when you have many prints to dry.

Pfeil tools — for me, the best carving tools.

If you could own one artwork, what would it be?

I would love to own a wood engraving print by Angie Lewin — any piece. She has been a huge inspiration in my creative journey.