About
Cameron Short & Janet Tristram, known as Bonfield Block-Printers, are based in West Dorset. Their workshop is a place where rural history finds form in printed cloth, and time slows to the rhythm of the hand. Each piece they make – from upholstered heirloom chairs to theatrical coats stitched with symbolism – holds the quiet power of enchantment. Their practice is as much ritual as it is craft – drawing from rural history, ancient satire and the half-light of English myth. Their imagery is pastoral, yes, but never sentimental. Shadows fall across their fields; there is mischief in the hedgerows. Bonfield’s prints echo the energy of old woodcuts, where satire, protest and poetry once lived side by side. Block-printing, in their hands, becomes a kind of spellcraft. A political act. A love letter to the land and all its layered stories.
Our work – be it a block-printed coat, bag, chair or framed remnant – is rooted in the life of the countryside; a place facing a host of new challenges in the C21st: nature depletion and biodiversity loss, surging homelessness and digital exclusion to name but a few.
Our practice is rooted in storytelling, slowness and sustainability. Stories and ideas, the lifeblood of our business, are often plucked from events or characters close to home. Our ‘After Albert’ wingback is testament to this. The textile design was conceived and carved with local character and erstwhile proprietor of Bonfield Stores – now our workshop and home – Albert Bonfield in mind.
Regarding sustainability, we frequently work with antique textiles – and favour organic materials and time-honoured methods. We generally Make to Order – avoiding waste – and try to keep things local (only collaborating with craftspeople who live relatively nearby.
Finally, and appropriately, in an age obsessed with speed, we celebrate slowness. Yes, this makes us something of an anomaly but we regard it as a strength. Realising something at a slower pace enables a deeper, more meaningful connection with the process. It also allows for a change in direction should a better idea reveal itself, resulting in more luminous work.
