Want to feel more connected, understood, safe, seen?

Penrose Press is comfort. Brianna Tosswill is a linocut artist who creates from a space of deep empathy and care. Her work embraces viewers/readers and invites them to rest.

You can check out The Comfort House Project here.

Collaborations

Some of my most exciting projects have been crafted in collaboration with... 

Hi, I'm Brianna

I'm a linocut artist making art, cards, and books about seeking comfort. By comfort, I mean the things that make you feel better about living in the world.

My dream is to install my art in spaces full of magic and potential, like the teen section of a public library.

kindred spirits sign up here

The Comfort House Project: stay as long as you like

Imagine a house full of rooms: all comforting in different ways. You can wander around and talk with people with all kinds of life experiences, and try on their coping mechanisms (comforting strategies) for yourself until you find something that suits you, Goldilocks style.  Each of these prints is made with input from the real people depicted in them. They combine into a semi-sculptural version of the aforementioned house.

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You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.

  • People

    Nearly everyone depicted in my work is a real person! I love to consult with my community (via instagram an email) when I'm generating ideas. Usually their experience is included somehow in addition to their likeness.

  • Colour

    I adore colour. It's not necessarily about being bright or bold, more about combinations that scratch an itch or evoke a feeling. My print technique results in highly dimensional colour that doesn't quite translate into digital photos!

  • Feeling all the Feelings

    Comfort, Vulnerability, Empathy, Sadness, Curiosity, Belonging, Grief, Pride, Joy, Relief, Self-compassion, Wonder, Gratitude, Disappointment, Admiration, Anger, Guilt, Overwhelm, Bittersweetness...

  • Fanfiction, Anti-Capitalism, and Harper-Hugo's Trans Dramione

    Fanfiction, Anti-Capitalism, and Harper-Hugo's ...

    It'll be news to some of you but not others, that I love fanfiction. Apparently your thirties are for loving without shame those things you appreciated in secret as a teen....

    Fanfiction, Anti-Capitalism, and Harper-Hugo's ...

    It'll be news to some of you but not others, that I love fanfiction. Apparently your thirties are for loving without shame those things you appreciated in secret as a teen....

  • Penrose Principles of Comfort and Creativity

    Penrose Principles of Comfort and Creativity

    I’m always talking about comfort, and being gentle with yourself, and my art has this super cozy vibe, and I think it’s important that everything I do, creatively, and in...

    Penrose Principles of Comfort and Creativity

    I’m always talking about comfort, and being gentle with yourself, and my art has this super cozy vibe, and I think it’s important that everything I do, creatively, and in...

  • Notions of Comfort

    Notions of Comfort

    I began The Comfort House Project in January 2022 and hope to complete in April 2023. It is a modular, print-based work in the shape of a house with many rooms. ...

    Notions of Comfort

    I began The Comfort House Project in January 2022 and hope to complete in April 2023. It is a modular, print-based work in the shape of a house with many rooms. ...

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