The Weight of Rain

Ink drawing, 594 x 841mm, 2026

Black and white illustrated collage featuring various scenes including people sunbathing, a person reading, a landscape with clouds and trees, a tractor in a field, and a person lying on a grassy area. Contains a poem at the bottom about nature and w

Baby Grows

Four-layer aquatint print, 140 × 120 mm, 2025.

A hand holding a white card with a pencil sketch of a landscape featuring a mountain, clouds, and a small cave opening, with a wooden fence in the background.

Close-up view of a paper cutout in the shape of a bear's face, with detailed lines and shading creating a textured appearance.

A page of poetry titled "Baby Grows" with the poem about a baby, depicting nature and innocence.

Walking, quietly

Four-layer aquatint print, 140 × 120 mm, 2025

Person holding a white frame with a detailed wood carving of a forest scene, including trees and a small building.

Close-up photo of intricately drawn, layered paper cutouts of tree branches and leaves.

A page of poetry titled 'Walking, Quietly' with a four-layer aquatint print, size 140 x 120 mm, describing the experience of walking through nature and the silent understanding between two figures.

In A Moment

Lino cut on print on japanese paper, 23.5 x 29.5cm, 2025

Literary text titled 'In A Moment' describing a scene with a person in a kitchen reflecting on a moment of connection, with details about the setting, emotions, and thoughts.

Softness

Made during the suspended days of the pandemic, these drawings explore the push and pull of intimacy in confinement. The bed became both refuge and stage, a place where play, tenderness, and restlessness unfolded in equal measure. Inspired by Paula Rego’s theatrical use of pastel, I leaned into drama and vulnerability, letting fabric, gesture, and gaze carry the weight of the story.

Pastel on paper, triptych, each 14.8 × 21 cm

A painting of a kneeling woman with a towel over her head, holding part of the towel with one hand, and looking to the side.

A person with a dark hairstyle and light skin lying on a bed, wrapped in a white blanket, with their head resting on their arm and knees drawn up, partially exposing their chest and genital area, depicted in a realistic painting style.

A child wrapped in a white blanket, sitting on the floor, partially covered with white sheets, with a surprised or curious expression on his face, and a crutch next to him.

The Gorge

Etched and Printed during a residency at Market Place Print Studio

23x 39cm, Aquatint Print, 2025

Samsam Petherbridge completed a residency at Market Place Print Studio in Cockermouth, on the edge of the Lake District. Working alongside a studio partner, Samsam drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape, with walking and observation directly informing studio practice.

During the residency, Samsam expanded their printmaking skills, including pepper pot aquatint and plate preparation, supported by studio founders Jack Fawdry Tatham and Emily Fairlie Baker. The experience reinforced the value of a print studio rooted in openness, learning, and community, and continues to inform Samsam’s practice and future ambitions

Black and white illustration of a landscape with a cloudy sky, trees, rocky terrain, and large rocks or logs.

A typed poem titled 'The Gorge' on a white sheet of paper.

A rugged outdoor scene of a small rocky stream flowing through a forested area with moss-covered rocks and trees.

A sketch of a rocky stream surrounded by large rocks and steep cliffs, with power lines and a person sitting on a rock in the background.

Part II: The Fall

Aquatint Etching, 11x20cm

A black-and-white illustration of a forest with various trees and a person standing among the trees, gazing into the distance.

A framed artwork of a nature landscape scene with trees, clouds, and a person on a hill.

Part I: The Breaking of the Rope

Aquatint Etching, 12x12cm, 2025

Line drawing of a wolf attacking a white horse in a forest with tall trees.

Framed artwork of a deer in a forest scene, hung on a white wall.

The Giant on the Ridge

Aquatint Etching, 20x30cm, 2025

A line drawing of a nude man with curly hair seen from behind, standing in a landscape with trees, hills, and a person on a donkey in the distance, under a cloudy sky with birds.

A framed print of a monochrome artwork depicting a nude figure walking among trees in a landscape, with a distant horizon and clouds in the sky.

For an Exhibition in Crofton Park Library, artist Samsam Petherbridge bound 17 drawings into books, each revealing the next chapter of a story. The story was a fictional tale of how two people and a dog survived but fail to communicate a flooded London, separated on top of two hills. Above are some of the drawings that were exhibited and below is a chapter of the story.

The Blue Borough, 2022

A black and white sketch of a person's hand holding a leash attached to a dog, with a background of a rough landscape and birds flying in the sky.

A person sitting near a campfire in a dark outdoor setting, with trees and a mountain or hill in the background, portrayed in black and white.

Sketch of a person standing on a lifebuoy, taking a photograph of a scenic canyon with water and cliffs in the background.

Children playing with fireworks at night, some holding bottles and others running or standing near the sparks and explosions.

A sketch of a woman with short dark hair and a hoodie, holding a leash and walking in a park with trees and bushes.

A woman climbing a tree, looking back over her shoulder, in a black and white photo.

Samsam Petherbridge has hand-bound and marbled many books under the name Bōk Bindery. This process has led to many collaborations and projects. Here are some of his favourites.

Bōk Bindery