The crested cows wheat is a lovely wild flower once found in abundance in woodlands, hedge bases, field margins, and roadsides, now it is very rare and in decline. This dramatic unusual looking flower which is related to the more common yellow rattle, has heads that are densely packed with deep purple toothed bracts, the flowers themselves display colours of rose, purple and yellow. It is semi parasitic relying on a number of host plants to top up food reserves, and cleverly tricks wood ants into dispersing its seeds by mimicking their cocoons.

I chose the image because of its dramatic nature in order to make a statement and raise awareness on how we can all help take action to preserve endangered species.

This print is a 6 colour reduction linocut.

A new bestiary and herbarium for at risk species by artists from Northern Print.

“Endless Forms Most Beautiful” is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support visits, new printmaking and school’s programme for this project.

Northern Print artists bring together traditional printmaking and the natural world with a series of new prints highlighting the diversity of species that are categorised as ‘at risk’.

The ‘endless forms’ include marine life; plants; birds; insects and mammals with many familiar and much-loved species as well as less known and intriguing creatures that have captured the imagination and hearts of Northern Print’s artists.

This exhibition of 45 new prints has been made following a series of visits to our region’s natural history collections and habitats and represents the tiniest tip of the iceberg of our natural world under threat.

The artwork includes a range of approaches and printmaking processes – including heritage craft skills also deemed at risk including letterpress and mould-made papers