Gavin Ambrose is a Graphic Designer and publisher based at the University of Brighton where he is Academic Programme Leader and Principal Lecturer for the Visual Communication Programme. He oversees the Undergraduate Graphic Design and Illustration courses and Post Graduate MA Sequential Illustration Design and has recently established an MA in Graphic Design.

As a Trustee of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft Ambrose runs regular workshops from the Clore Learning Space aimed at encouraging community engagement and interest in printing techniques. These workshops often involve working with the Stanhope printing press and the range of Adana presses acquired by the museum. In this role he has also been instrumental in supporting the Typographer in Residence scheme through The British Council. Events have included assisting in the ‘Belonging Bandstand’ by Morag Mysercough, a ‘Type Trail’ and printing using a steam roller with staff and students from the University of Brighton.

In 2016 Ambrose was appointed Design Director of the Design Research Society (DRS) and hosted a conference at the University of Brighton for 650 attendees. During this conference Ambrose built a large scale printing wall installation and subsequently developed a Mobile Printing Unit that has been used to take printing on location and onto the streets. Most recently this was used with supporting people with Grace Eyre, an organisation working with people with learning disabilities, autism and/or mental health issues.

Ambrose is currently working with acclaimed Graphic Designer and Illustrator and Emeritus Professor George Hardie on a book started by George in 2004. ‘Manual’, by George Hardie, explores all the printing processes George used within his work including screen-printing, using found stationery, laster cutting, stamping and foiling.

‘I am interested in printing for many reasons. Firstly, in my own practice I have found it empowering and liberating, but also more recently I have become increasingly interested in the wellbeing benefits it can bring. Be it a young family coming to the museum and printing for the first time, working with people with learning disabilities or autism, or seeing students develop at the University – all benefit from print. In my own life I have had times of uncertainty and doubt, and print offers a method of working and an almost sedative space to work within.’ Gavin Ambrose

Ambrose works with letterpress, screen printing (with the very talented Chris Hunt) and risograph and is an advocate as not seeing technology as a barrier for simply ‘having a go’. In 2019 Ambrose set up publishing house Unseen Sketchbooks, working with designers and illustrators on book and printing projects, most recently with Berlin based Graphic Designer Patrick Thomas. All books published feature special printing techniques and approaches.

Ambrose is a member of, and assessor for, The International Society of Graphic Designers and has acted as Artistic Assessor for the De La Warr Pavilion – Bexhill-On-Sea, East Sussex.