With a background in textile printing Stephen Dow switched to printmaking on paper when setting up his studio heraldblack in 2014.
Monoprinting is the main technique in his work meaning each print is a unique, one of one edition. Prints are often taken from card stencils he has assembled (similar to collagraph printing) and recently collages have become an important part of his practice. The making process is documented on his Instagram profile @heraldblack and with the hashtag #heraldblackprocess
The poster and card range are available from heraldblack are accessible pieces of work. These are reproductions of handmade prints & collages which are then layered and recoloured to make a new piece of work that differs from the original.
Dow takes inspiration from his surroundings & environment when making work, alternating between architectural and botanical references resulting in two quite different styles; constructed and sculptural versus organic and fluid.
Biography
Stephen Dow is the artist behind heraldblack. He graduated from the Belfast School of Art in 1997 having studied textiles and worked for John Rocha in Dublin later that year, printing fabrics for men’s and womenswear collections. His work background also includes over 10 years home accessories merchandising for Habitat & The Conran Shop before establishing his studio heraldblack in 2014.
Now printing on paper instead of textiles, Stephen produces a range of hand printed & original monoprints as well as card and poster ranges that are stocked by retailers in the UK, EU & USA, as listed on his website. His work is also licensed through Bridgeman Studios and East End Prints and has been used by Habitat, Anthropologie, Columbia University Press, LittleBrown Book Group and Pringle of Scotland.
In 2020 he began collaborating with ceramicist Francesca Vendramin to develop a body of work referencing the structure and forms of brutalist architecture.
SEAS - South East Artists 