Creating the "News from Nowhere" Print

The Arts and Crafts movement was more than an aesthetic; it embodied ideals and utopian visions of how we might create a better world.

A cornerstone of this idealism is William Morris’s novel News from Nowhere, originally serialized in the 1890s. This utopian tale imagines a future society following a socialist revolution, exploring themes of class, social systems, gender, marriage, mechanization, labor, money, education, and ecology—issues that remain relevant today, especially as our 21st-century world grapples with the consequences of unchecked capitalism and climate change.

This multi-color woodblock print is inspired by Chapter 31 of News from Nowhere and features Kelmscott Manor, the rural farmhouse along the River Thames in Oxfordshire that William Morris held dear. Kelmscott Manor was not only Morris’s summer residence but also a source of inspiration for much of his work, symbolizing his commitment to simplicity, craftsmanship, and a harmonious relationship with nature.

I plan to continue creating more prints inspired by the novel, as its themes of idealism, social reform, and environmental consciousness remain timeless and relevant today.