About

Printmaker | Artist from Louisiana | Based in Laurel, MS

Hey y’all, I’m Jane Martin — a linocut printmaker raised in Louisiana and now rooted in Laurel, Mississippi. I specialize in linocut artwork, creating bold, thoughtful designs that blend Southern storytelling with playful color. You’ll usually find me carving into linoleum, rolling out ink, and running everything through a cold press laminator to get crisp, vibrant prints that hold texture and intention.

My creative journey began with Martin Spark Press, making handmade rubber stamps and small one or two-color block prints — carving tiny designs that brought joy to customers one piece at a time. That love for carving and printing naturally evolved into full-sized block prints. Printmaking gave me room to play bigger, layer deeper, and lean into the physical rhythm of the process in my home studio in Laurel, MS.

As of June 15, 2025, “Jane” Keirston Martin of Laurel, Mississippi, has been awarded the $2,000 Individual Project Grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission to create linocut prints celebrating Southern food and culture in Mississippi.

This grant supports Jane’s continued exploration of the beauty and richness of the South, with a focus on its culinary traditions, through hand-carved, hand-printed linocuts. Jane is a self-taught printmaker who has developed her skills through independent research, personal experimentation, and conversations with other artists.

The funding will allow her to expand her collection of tools, materials, and studio supplies in order to complete a full new series of work. Beyond the financial support, this grant serves as an affirmation that artists without formal training have a place in Mississippi’s creative community.

Jane’s work centers on connection—to place, to people, and to fellow creatives. Through this project, she hopes to continue inspiring others to pursue their own artistic paths and to contribute to the growing visibility of the arts in Mississippi.

Social Media Links

My Printmaking Process

Each piece starts by drawing a design directly onto tracing paper, then turning that design over onto a sizable piece of grey lino. I take a bone  folder and press the lines of my design into that linoleum. I carve my design with Pfeil tools, and use Caligo Cranfield inks for color. I use my cold press laminator to transfer the image onto paper. Repeat, carving away one layer at a time. 

I work mostly in series, often inspired by regional food, and culture in Louisiana and the South. Some prints are playful and bright, while others feel a bit more personal — but they’re all made with care and curiosity.

Where You’ll Find My Linocut ArtWork

My linocut artwork is available on Etsy, Faire, art festivals, and the occasional anime/comin con. I travel around Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, and yearn to go further. I also share my process and creative updates on social media — sometimes a picture with a fresh lino print still in the press or a video detailing the ink rolling process.

If you’re an art collector, a fellow artist, a stationery enthusiast, or someone just passing through Laurel, MS —I’m glad you’re here.