Mark Hearld's Raucous Invention: The Joy of Making
British artist Mark Hearld has long enchanted admirers with his bold, unruly interpretations of nature. Now, with the publication of Raucous Invention: The Joy of Making, readers are invited into his vibrant, ever-expanding universe. Released on 5 June 2025, this newly expanded edition of Hearld’s much-loved monograph bursts with over 400 colour illustrations and fresh insights from the artist himself – a vivid journey into the heart of a truly original creative.
Cover of the book Raucous Invention: The Joy of Making by Mark Hearld
Born in 1974, Hearld studied illustration at Glasgow School of Art before going on to complete a master’s in Natural History Illustration at the Royal College of Art. It’s no surprise, then, that his work hums with wild life: not just animals and birds, but the joyous, impulsive energy of making itself. From his studio in North Yorkshire, Hearld observes and transforms the landscape around him, crafting prints, collages, ceramics, and textiles that revel in the riotous rhythms of the British countryside. Foxes, porcupines, owls and thistles all spring to life through jagged linocuts and animated paintwork.
Mark Hearld at Home and at Work: The front room featuring Devonshire Cross corn dollies on the mantlepiece, English delft tiles around the fire, and a pack of fretted hounds trotting along the picture rail. Photo Credit: Hermione McCosh.
This new edition of Raucous Invention showcases Hearld’s continued love of nature and material. Collages thrum with movement, while textile designs leap with lyrical energy. His recent collaboration with Japanese fashion label ARTS & SCIENCE – in which indigo-dyed motifs were hand-printed by artisans in Kyoto – is a perfect example of Hearld’s expansive, experimental spirit.
High Summer Dog Days - Collage. 75 x 100cm. Mark Hearld. Photo Credit: Hermione McCosh.
Alan Powers, writing in the book’s introduction, perfectly captures the essence of Hearld’s output: “this art is imperfect in the best way… the sound of singing and laughter is in the air.” It’s this sense of spontaneity – a kind of visual birdsong – that makes Hearld’s work so magnetic. There’s an echo of British mid-century greats like Enid Marx and Peggy Angus in his patterns and prints, but Hearld doesn’t mimic; he rewilds. His art is instinctive and full of joy – a celebration not only of what he sees, but how he feels as he brings it into being.
Glorious Blooms - Collage. 70 x 50 cm. Mark Hearld.
Whether crafting hand-painted ceramics, cutting paper silhouettes, or composing richly layered collages, Mark Hearld’s work resists categorisation. It is at once art and craft, childlike and sophisticated, rooted in tradition but always forging forward. Raucous Invention is a generous reflection of that ethos – not a retrospective, but a living, breathing body of work that invites us all to look closer at the natural world, and perhaps to make something of our own.
For lovers of nature, colour, and creative possibility, Raucous Invention is more than a book – it’s a wild, joyous call to make.
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Further Information:
Raucous Invention: The Joy of Making
Mark Hearld
Out 5 June 2025 | 415 colour illustrations | £35
Published by Thames and Hudson
Read more about Mark Hearld in Issue 124, Rural.
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Image Credits:
Lead Image: Mark hearld. Photo Credit: Alun Callender
All other images as credited in the photo captions.