Blending heritage crafts with modern making: an interview with Matt Holmes

<p dir="ltr">Alongside his PhD research, Matt is based at <strong>Ocean Studios </strong>in<strong> Royal William Yard </strong>with<strong> Real Art Make Print</strong>, where he develops 3D-printed letterpress equipment, tools, and presses.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of my ongoing projects is restoring a 125-year-old mint-green printing press. It’s a beautiful beast, but getting it out of the room it was stuck in was a challenge on its own! I’ve been stripping it down, cleaning it up, and replacing missing parts using 3D-printed and CNC-machined components.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That restoration work is part of my research but also very much about making, bringing these machines back into use by combining old craftsmanship with new tools.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Matt’s studio collaborations reflect this ethos of combining analogue and digital making. Working with designer Tim Saunders of the design studio Bracken, he co-developed <a href="https://www.bracken.design/products/miss-printed"><strong>Miss. Printed</strong></a>, a Photoshop texture pack that authentically emulates letterpress aesthetics.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When we launched Miss. Printed, some people perceived the project negatively, asking why we’d simulate letterpress digitally instead of just printing properly. But the point is access. Not everyone has a press or a print studio. This is about offering an entry point to the look and feel of letterpress, and hopefully sparking curiosity about the traditional craft.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not ‘digital versus analogue.’ These approaches aren’t competing, they’re complementary. It’s about creating bridges between old and new.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">As one of the contributors to this weekend’s <a href="https://ramp.realideas.org/whats-on/print-in-action-festival-1230382269489-2/"><strong>Print in Action</strong></a> festival at Ocean Studios, Matt is bringing a series of projects that reflect both his playful approach to making and his research-led focus on heritage processes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m working on a few different things for Print in Action. One of the big projects is a collaboration with <a href="https://willmower.com/"><strong>Will Mower</strong></a>, who’s known for his modular stamp typography. Will helped develop a project called <strong>Blockface</strong> with the Open Press Project - it’s essentially a kit of letterpress-style stamps. For the festival, I’ve been 3D-printing a giant version of that kit.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Together, we’re running a workshop where participants will use these oversized modular stamps to build and print a large-scale mural. It’s all about accessibility and fun, giving people the chance to engage with printmaking in a playful, physical way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Matt is also curating a <strong>print trail</strong> across Ocean Studios for the festival weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ll have different presses stationed around the venue, where visitors can print postcards featuring designs by Ocean Studios print residents, plus a few bits of my own typography. It’s a hands-on way for people to explore the space and interact with the making process directly.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But perhaps the most ambitious of Matt’s festival plans is a live challenge: reassembling his restored 125-year-old printing press on-site across the weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll be rebuilding the press outside in the courtyard, under a gazebo. The aim is to get it fully reassembled by Sunday night. If all goes well, to pull a print from it by the end of the festival. But just getting it back together and turning over will feel like the first big win.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Matt’s work is deeply embedded in the wider creative community across Plymouth and the South West, contributing both behind the scenes and directly through high-profile projects.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I see myself as a hybrid maker, often sitting in the background, manufacturing and making, helping other people’s creative projects come to life. That’s something I really enjoy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the last Print in Action, I collaborated with Arts University Plymouth graduate <strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/alan-qualtrough">Alan Qualtrough</a></strong> on a Knowledge Exchange project. I produced a lino type set that Alan used to print protest posters, which we then pasted up as part of the workshop. And with <strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/sue-lewry">Sue Lewry</a></strong>, who teaches on the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-graphic-design">BA (Hons) Graphic Design</a> course, I worked on the <a href="https://www.suelewry.com/projects/colossal-digital-design-fabrication"><strong>Colossal Satellite Unit</strong></a>. I built the most recent version of the unit that she launched via Kickstarter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Even the lectern used by <strong>Plymouth Design Forum</strong> at their events is one I built! I always joke that I’m waiting for the sign on the front to fall off mid-talk.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This spirit of collaboration extends across disciplines, and Matt’s technical knowledge allows him to support a wide variety of creative practices.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Every project is different. One day I might be supporting a student making puppets for a costume project, the next it might be a craft student working on a CNC-milled installation, or someone in photography exploring fabrication for a final piece.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That’s the power of <strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/research/supported-projects/fab-lab-south-west">Fab Lab South West</a></strong>. We’re here to problem-solve, to make these connections between disciplines, and to show how digital tools can be relevant in so many unexpected ways.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Alongside his studio work and teaching, Matt is committed to sharing his approach to making with broader audiences, from podcast appearances to international research collaborations.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was invited onto the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YYlnVUdRJH7hJh3zAgfsl?si=8JtUuXIXRTOFC3Iu63VAWQ"><strong>Making Problems to Solve</strong></a> podcast recently, which was my first time being interviewed for a show like that. It’s hosted by a maker based in the US who’s interviewed loads of people from the creative and DIY community.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We talked about creativity, problem-solving, and my slightly nerdy enthusiasm for heavy cast-iron machinery! But at its heart, the conversation was about hybrid making, about how digital tools can sit within these traditional spaces without replacing them, and how they can actually encourage more people to get involved.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This philosophy of openness and accessibility underpins Matt’s growing international connections. His work with <a href="https://partnersinprint.org/"><strong>Partners in Print</strong></a> and other print communities, alongside talks at conferences like <strong>Hamilton Wayzgoose</strong>, reflects his ongoing efforts to bridge creative practices across geographies.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m in early discussions about giving guest lectures at <strong>a university</strong> in the US, and I’ve been keeping connections going with <strong>Partners in Print</strong>, especially with academic researcher Erin Beckloff. We’ve talked about setting up a small satellite unit for my research in America. They’d have 3D printers on site, and I could send over files remotely.</p> <p>“I’m also in contact with the <strong>Centre for Print Research</strong> in Bristol, so the academic network is growing alongside the practical side of the work. The PhD has definitely helped open those doors.”</p>

<p dir="ltr">At the core of Matt’s work, whether through his research, Fab Lab South West role, or personal making practice, is a drive to help people overcome creative barriers and find confidence in experimentation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of my favourite things about the Fab Lab is seeing that moment where students realise they can use these tools to solve the problems they’re facing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sometimes students come in thinking the laser cutter is just for making keyrings. But then we’ll talk about how that same machine could help them prototype sculpture components, or create printmaking plates, or even fabricate puppets. Those are the conversations that light me up, where you see someone’s project open up because they’ve connected the dots between processes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I always tell students: these tools aren’t confined to a discipline. They’re here to support creative thinking, to help you make the thing you want to make, whatever that looks like.”<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Matt’s open, problem-solving approach is at the heart of the support offered through<a href="https://fablabsouthwest.org.uk/"> <strong>Fab Lab South West</strong></a>, based within the main <strong>Tavistock Place campus at Arts University Plymouth</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Whether you’re developing print plates, prototyping sculpture, or exploring how digital tools might unlock new directions in your practice, Matt and the Fab Lab team are here to help you bring your ideas to life.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>If you’re a current student at Arts University Plymouth, drop into the Fab Lab to chat with Matt about your projects, explore the equipment, and discover how digital fabrication could support your creative journey.</strong><br /></p>