Arenui Lino Block Printing Workshop with Caryn Evans on Norfolk Island

On Norfolk Island, an intimate printmaking day at Arenui offers a clear-sky, hands-on window into the island’s culture and landscape. Held at Arenui — 143 Collins Head Road, Norfolk Island — the workshop is led by local artist and seventh-generation Pitcairn descendant Caryn Evans. Over roughly five and a half hours on Wednesdays, the studio fills with sun and the smell of ink as a maximum group of six designs, carves, inks and pulls small editions of lino prints inspired by the island’s contours. The experience begins in a light-filled studio where Caryn introduces lino techniques and composition, then guides each participant to translate local motifs into stencils and blocks. Students work wet and tactile: carving tools, rollers and a low-pressure press or hand burnishing; beginners leave with finished prints and a clear process to repeat at home. If weather allows, part of the session moves into the gardens surrounding Arenui so students can sketch Norfolk Island pines, coastal orchids, or the curved silhouette of a volcanic headland while gulls and tropicbirds wheel overhead. What makes this workshop unique is its rootedness — Caryn’s Pitcairn lineage links contemporary practice to the island’s living culture. Norfolk Island’s settlement by Pitcairn Islanders in 1856 brought a distinct set of stories and crafts; here, traditional island themes and subtropical flora become print subjects. Geologically, the island’s volcanic cliffs, black basalt outcrops and sheltered bays supply sharp shapes and textures that translate beautifully to relief printing. Practical details matter: the meeting point is Arenui — 143 Collins Head Road; sessions run about 5.5 hours each Wednesday from 10:00 am to approximately 3:30 pm. The studio offers level access with no stairs and a small group size that keeps instruction hands-on. Bring a sketchbook, comfortable shoes, and a sun hat if you plan to work outdoors; materials and instruction are included, and you depart with a small edition of your own prints. Groups are capped at six, which keeps feedback immediate and the workstations uncrowded; the studio’s level access makes it possible for visitors to join. No previous printmaking experience is required—Caryn tailors instruction to skill level, from first cuts to editioning—and you’ll leave not only with prints but with notes and templates to continue at home. Artists, designers, and curious travelers will appreciate the combination of technique instruction and island immersion. Photography lovers find texture and contrast in carved blocks and finished impressions; nature lovers will notice how endemic Norfolk pines and seabird flight patterns become compositional cues. For visitors to Burnt Pine or Kingston, this is a single-day activity that doubles as cultural education and a maker’s retreat, offering a durable souvenir: artwork you made yourself, seeded by the island’s landscape and history.