Twelve Printmakers (12PM) was formed in 1984 from a group of professional artists working in and around Colchester. 12PM artists have been members of the Royal Society of Painter- Printmakers, the Printmakers Council and the Society of Wood Engravers. Many have had solo exhibitions, shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions, Royal West of England Academy Autumn Exhibitions and Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, or taken part in mixed exhibitions all over the UK and abroad. Group members have included Richard Bawden, Liz Morris, Gay Hutchins and Bernard Cheese.

The group was, and still is composed of experienced artists and teaching professionals. 12PM represents a formidable bank of printing skills as well as artistry. This includes the time-honoured techniques of etching, wood cutting and engraving, lino cutting, as well as more contemporary techniques such as silk screen printing, collagraph and monoprint.

What typifies the group is the constant experimentation, not only in the subject matter but in the incredible richness of the different methods.