Yvonne Skargon
by Jim Maslen

One of the leading wood engravers during the final third of the twentieth century, Yvonne Skargon is particularly known for her landscapes, cats and an innate love of flowers and gardens. She studied at Colchester School of Art where she was taught by John O'Connor and Blair Hughes-Stanton, and then started work at Cowell's in Ipswich. Before she established her printmaking, and later a teaching career, she worked as a very good typographer, particularly in book jacket designs.

Jim Maslen traces Yvonne's career, with great skill: Yvonne died in 2010 and this portrait of her has been built up from the documents (for example, 375 dustjackets which she designed), and prints found in her garage. With her husband John Commander she lived happily in Lavenham, surrounded by cats and a wonderful courtyard garden, which in turn inspired the engravings that we admire, and her beautiful paintings. Memoirs by Sue Scullard, Elly Robinson, Miranda Mott and Andrew Davidson enhance the record.

225 copies, and of these, 45 special copies carry a folder holding a group of over 30 loose original prints (which may vary in precise contents) in a solander box; in each group a couple of prints are signed; all the proofs I have are used. All copies are quarter- bound in elephant hide paper and Compton marbled paper. £225 for standard copies, postage £8 (please note the special copies are now fully subscribed).

To order this book, please email me at simon@fleecepress.com (the button below can be used if you have email set up on your device’s Mail app) or call me on 01226 792200.