Stewart works as a Printmaker from his Devon Studio, combining elements of site-specific photography, painting & drawing.
He has been continually interested in the self-inflicted demise Mankind faces within our Anthropocene era, & our behaviour within it. Although the outlook here is perpetually fearful & pessimistic he tries to create a contrary world of destruction & beauty, where change, metaphysics, erasure, air & light are all of critical importance; but also where the relationships between Landscape, Living Things & Humanity are paramount.
He is presently engaged in a project called The Tree Portraits which is made up of over 300 Monoprints, some of which were exhibited as multiples of 15 in both ”The Tree Portraits I” [for both Art Number 23 ‘New Era’, & the 2020 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair Online Edition] & ”The Tree Portraits I” at the 16th Graphica Creativa Print Triennale in Jyväskylä , Finland 2022-23. This initial imagery was derived from photos of pollarded street trees near his previous home in East London & moved into print using Gelliplates.
He originally found huge flexibility in working with this new method (without requiring a printing press), which allowed him to Print in situ when travelling around the USA, Spain & Portugal in 2019, & gave an immediacy to observing the landscape around him.
They gradually evolved from a simple engagement with his surroundings to deeper conversations about Man’s place in Nature, & how He has forgotten to connect & truly engage with It, through to the ongoing Tree Portraits Series, where the one-off nature of each print emphasises the unique character of each Tree. This suite of prints has been nourished by extensive reading & research, further education & involvement in a rewilding project minutes away from his Devon home.
Stewart previously was a keyholder at East London Printmakers for over a decade (where he remains a Member), where he was Project Leader of the Mile End – Copperfield Road Studio Build for their successful move from London Fields. During his time there worked exclusively in screenprint, whilst simultaneously working as a media professional in the City.
After graduating in Fine Art at Farnham in 1994 he joined Artichoke Print Workshop, when he was a specialist in Photoetching .
Stewart has exhibited regularly at the Affordable Art Fairs since its inception in 1999; he has been selected for all 5 of the most recent editions of The Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, with several appearances at both the RA Summer Show & the National Original Print Show, winning the Great Art Prize at the latter in 2018.
©Stewart Taylor 2023
