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Jenny Mason‑Gunning was born into the world of printmaking, surrounded from the very beginning by ink, plates and presses. With a master printmaker for a father and an art teacher for a mother, her earliest memories are filled with the rhythm and atmosphere of the studio. By the age of seven, she had created her first aquatint etching - a whal - and from that first reveal, she knew printmaking would be her life’s path.
For Jenny, printmaking isn’t a choice but an identity - a daily creative drive that has shaped every stage of her journey . Today, as a Master Printmaker and practising artist, she permanently exhibits her work in the family’s Ironbridge gallery, where she has shared her passion for more than twenty years, beginning long before that in a tiny garden studio and an even smaller gallery before it. Her work appears regularly in exhibitions and competitions across the UK, and she continues the tradition she loves: sponsoring print fairs and giving live demonstrations on the presses she knows so well.
Alongside her own artistic practice, Jenny takes commissions to create plates and print editions for artists, galleries and publishers. She also teaches widely, running workshops for printmakers at every stage - from complete beginners to established professionals.
Her studio is home to several Gunning Etching Presses - machines first designed by her father, Dave Gunning, in the 1980s and now engineered and hand‑built by her husband, Dave Mason‑Gunning. These presses are crafted in Ironbridge and shipped worldwide, with twelve standard models and a range of bespoke, geared, direct‑drive and motorised options.
Jenny has developed a number of innovative inking techniques, registration systems and specialist materials designed to make printmaking more accessible, efficient and environmentally conscious. Her own range of etching and relief inks, roll‑on grounds, resists and nitrile rollers has been created specifically to meet the needs of contemporary printmakers.
Her artwork draws inspiration from ancient standing stones and abandoned industrial sites slowly reclaimed by nature. Through her prints, she captures the quiet, enduring stories held within these monumental and forgotten places.
At the heart of her practice is a love of makin - the joy of creating something lasting, meaningful and full of life. Her mission is not only to share her own work, but to help others discover the magic of printmaking.
Jenny’s first book, Printmaking: A Step‑by‑Step Studio Guide, commissioned by Bloomsbury, is now available for pre‑order and will be published on 28 February 2026. Bringing together decades of studio experience, innovation and passion, it is written for anyone who loves printmaking - from beginners to seasoned artists.