Stephen Vaughan Printmaker & Artist

Photography: Dylan Vaughan

My fine art etchings and carborundum prints examine the varied landscapes and environments that mankind inhabits. Anecdote plays a significant role in my work. The whole gamut of human endeavour is explored; adventures, trials and tribulations, successes and failures. Politics, current affairs and technological progress form a part of this narrative.

Elements within some prints reference architectural forms, representing the structures that man has created for a civilisation and functional society. Visualised is the way in which we have imposed ourselves on the natural world. Compositional elements that are organic or, apparently chaotic, portray an oppositional viewpoint; nature as adversary to human enterprise. It is in the tension between these two forces that I place my mark.

Making a print

Making a fine art print, from plate preparation to the printing of the edition, can take several weeks. As a printmaker and artist, patience and dexterity are fundamentally central to what I do. There is a history of printmaking styles and rules that play a strong role in how the artist is influenced. It is important therefore that the artist/printmaker is fluent in the printmaking techniques, knowing what is appropriate for the image they wish to create; always ready to introduce something new so that they can make the medium their own.

The use of materials such as carborundum and adhesives introduce an additive process. It is somewhat sculptural. This way of creating an image is a process of construction. I think of it as building the plate. In this sense there is a sculptural aspect to my work. This is also appropriate when considering the corrosive action of acid or the cutting actions of an engraving tool; the result is an item in three dimensions, albeit one in low relief. At other times the textured carborundum and etching approximates the characteristics of brush strokes in a painting.

This is an exercise in synthesising the surfaces and textures of the real world. The process is slow, but this is good, because within this process there is a thought process where I engage with the ideas and concepts I want to express in my work. For me it is like writing poetry in a visual way. I absorb, abstract, process and produce work triggered by something that has inspired me emotionally, intellectually or visually.

There is always an exciting point in the process of printmaking where there is a transformation; a transformation that is not discovered until the image is printed. At this point you forget all the process and appreciate the printed work as an entity in its own right; something that is independent of its making.

If you want to find out more about fine art prints, how they are made and, the equipment used in the printmaking process, visit my fine art print FAQ page.

View my full catalogue of prints

Stephen Vaughan
Illegitimi non carborundum

Stephen Vaughan | Curriculum Vitae

Education Career

• 1970 Born in Kilkenny, Ireland.
• 1989-1990 Craft & Design, Grennan Mill Craft School, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
• 1990-1993 Diploma in Fine Art (Printmaking with Distinction) Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork.
• 1994 B.A. in Fine Art ( Printmaking with First Class Honours 1.1) Crawford College of Art & Design, Cork.
• 2014 Higher Diploma in Science in Computing, Institute of Technology Carlow (First Class Honours).

Solo Exhibitions

• 2014 Landscapes Inhabited Lavistown House, Kilkenny,
• 2004 Work by Stephen Vaughan Original Print Gallery.
• 2001 Galleri Helle Knudsen Stockholm, Sweden.
• 2001 Jonathan Ferrara Gallery New Orleans.
• 1999 New works by Stephen Vaughan Michael Gold Gallery, New York.
• 1999 Exhibition of Prints Chris Doswell Gallery, Limerick.
• 1998 Stephen Vaughan: New Work, Michael Gold Gallery, New York.
• 1997 Work by Stephen Vaughan Kilkenny School Of Music, Kilkenny Arts Festival.

Selected Exhibitions

• 2019 Wexford Festival Art Exhibition at Green Acres Oct 19th to Nov 16th.
• 2019 Autumn Exhibition of Print Making at Green Acres June 1st to August 3rd.
• 2019 Summer Show at The Graphic Studio Dublin Saturday 6 July – Saturday 31 August 2019.
• 2018 Wexford Festival Art Exhibition at Green Acres
• 2016 The Print Show Newtownbarry House, Bunclody.
• 2015 VIII International Engraving Exhibition L’Arte il Torchio/Art & The Printing Press, Cremona Italy.
• 2009 Light out of Darkness: Killian Schurmann and Stephen Vaughan Dalkey Arts 26th March.
• 2007 Hung Drawn & Quartered Group exhibition, by studio members, celebrating 25 year of the Black Church Print Studio.
• 2006 25/25 Exhibition 25 years of Belfast Print Workshop.
• 2006 Of Place, In Time Lavit Gallery Cork. Exhibition of prints selected by Stephen Vaughan. Artists include James McCreary, Cora Cummins, Frieda Meaney and Tony McClure.
• 2005 Common Ground Celebrating 25 years of Grennan Mill Crafts School, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
• 2005Clo in China 411 Gallery, Hangzhou City, China, Contemporary Irish Printmaking.
• 2004 Flowers Graphics London gallery artists.
• 2004 The Cracked Looking Glass Graphic Studio Dublin | The Old Print Shop, New York, 6th– 16th July | The Kontarshusets Print Gallery, Stockholm.
• 2004  Flowers Graphics 3 Contemporary Printmakers.
• 2004 174th RHA Annual Exhibition Dublin.
• 2004 Model Arts Centre Sligo Artists form Kilkenny.
• 2003 Butler Gallery Artists form Kilkenny.
• 2002 Holy Show : Artists response to the Old Testament Chester Beatty Library, Dublin.
• 2001 Print/Estampe An exchange of french and Irish contemporary prints.
• 1999 Blackchurch Print Studio Members Show Original Print Gallery, Dublin.
• 1999 Tony O’Malley Selects Lavitt Gallery, Cork.
• 1998 Temple Bar International Print Show Original Print Gallery, Dublin.
• 1998 Wall to Wall: Blackchurch Studio Members Show Original Print Gallery, Dublin.
• 1998 Zeckendorff Towers New York.
• 1998 Works on Paper Michael Gold Gallery, New York.
• 1998 Autumn Exhibition The Bridge Gallery, Dublin.
• 1998 Prints From The Edge  Lambay Hse., Contemporary Art Gallery, Howth, Dublin.
• 1998 City, Seas & Other Places Original Print Gallery, Dublin.
• 1998 Shake Michael Gold Gallery, New York.
• 1997 Wall to Wall, Blackchurch Studio Members Show Original Print Gallery, Dublin.
• 1997 Gallery Artists Annabel Bowen Gallery, Kildare St., Dublin.
• 1997 Rolling Devolution touring exhibition of Scottish and Irish Art in Scotland.
• 1997 Michael Gold Gallery New York. Group shows (Feb, June & September).
• 1995 E.V.A. ‘95’ (Exhibition of Visual Art) Limerick.
• 1995 Stephen Vaughan & Lucy Turner: Emerging Artists Original Print Gallery.
• 1995 Cork Printmakers ‘95’ Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork.
• 1995 Banquet Exhibition RHA Gallagher Gallery Dublin.
• 1995 Altered States touring exhibition The Arts Council Education Programme.
• 1995 Impressions Fifth National Open Print Exhibition, Galway Arts Centre.
• 1995 Designs on Peace U.S Embassy, Dublin in honour of Presidential visit.
• 1994 Dispatches Perugia, Italy.
• 1994 Christmas Show Butler Gallery, Kilkenny.
• 1993 Cork City Artists Crawford Municipal Art Gallery.
• 1990 Vice Versa Sculptors Society of Ireland & The Jewellers & Metalworkers Guild.

Awards

• 2014 Student of the Year Institute of Technology Carlow
• 2006 The Arts Council of Ireland Capital Grant funding for studio ventilation.
• 1997  The Graphic Studio Award for Printmakers: In Memory of Mary Farl Powers
• 1996 Visual Arts Bursary The Arts Council of Ireland : To print in New York.
• 1995  Commended 3rd Prize Impressions Fifth National Open Print Exhibition.
• 1994  N.M.R.C Purchase Award
• 1993  Student of the Year, Crawford College of Art & Design. N.C.E.A.
• 1992 Thomas Dammann Junior Memorial Trust Grant Research on Antoni Tapies.

Residencies

• 1996 Belfast print Workshop Visiting artist for three week block.
• 1996 Lower East Side Printshop New York. Visiting artist for October 1996

Catalogues

• 2006 25/25 Exhibition 25 years of Belfast Print Workshop.
• 2004 The Cracked Looking Glass Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin.
• 2002 Holy Show, Graphic Studio Gallery Dublin.
• 2001 Print/Estampe Black Church Print Studio.
• 1999 The Butler Gallery Collection The Butler Gallery.
• 1998 Temple Bar International print Show Coracle Press.
• 1997 Rolling Devolution The Scottish Touring Exhibition Consortium.
• 1995 Cork Printmakers ‘95’
• 1995 E.V.A. ‘95’
• 1995 Academy Without Walls 50 under 40, RHA Gallagher Gallery.
• 1995 Altered States  The Arts Council of Ireland.
• 1995 Designs on Peace The United States Embassy, Dublin.
• 1994 Cork Printmakers ‘94’
• 1993 Cork City Artists ‘93’ Crawford Municipal Art Gallery.
• 1990 Vice Versa Sculptors Society of Ireland & The Jewellers & Metalworkers Guild.

Commissions

• 1995 Altered States The Arts Council of Ireland. A print in edition of five which was included in a touring exhibition to secondary schools around Ireland.
• 1997 Kilkenny Fire Station 4 Prints.
• 2001 Sony Entertainment Ireland Presentation of prints. Edition of 48.