The Danish artist Monika Petersen makes iconic linos, which she prints by hand in her studio in Copenhagen. Monika has been educated as an illustrator at the College of Art and Design in England. In 2016 she was nominated for The Danish Design Award. She likes to focus on organic forms of nature. Her work is characterized by finely carved details in gold and contrasting dark colors such as indigo blue and deep black. The botanical details are razor-sharp in simplicity because they alternate thin lines with long strokes. It is the blueprint for the artwork that she prints manually in her studio. After printing, the linos are treated with vegetable oil and dried in a special room for a few more days. Then Monika signs the work and numbered in a limited edition. It' s a purely handcraft and no piece of art is the same.

Linoleum craft technique
The linoleum cut is a traditional technique in which the drawing is cut out of linoleum in mirror image. The name comes from the Latin words Linum (flax) and Oleum (oil). Linoleum is a real natural product made from flax linseed oil, Linum usitatissimum. This art form was developed in England around 1850. The linoleum is cut away around the drawing with a special knife. Ink or paint is then applied to the remaining high areas with a roller. Then paper is placed on the linoleum, which is pressed firmly with a letterpress machine.

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