Steve Osborne is a printmaker producing hand-carved, hand-printed, limited edition prints using the deceptively simple medium of linocut.

His reduction linocuts can often involve multiple layers and much deliberation. He carves from a single block of lino, printing the lightest colour first, then cuts into the same block for the next colour and so on until the final darkest colour. This means that a work can never be repeated, making the small editions of prints collectable.

He also utilises a multi-plate method, where each colour abuts another like a stencil, rather than overlaid as for a reduction linocut.

Now retired after over 40 years working as a designer – mostly in advertising and packaging for some of Australia’s most well-known brands – Steve can finally indulge his true passion. Printmaking.

“My interest in reproducing artwork started decades ago, around the beginning of my career in graphic design. One of the first small editions I made for distribution amongst friends and family was an airbrush stencil of a seagull. For those interested, it’s on display in this exhibition. But due to the needs of running a business, I didn’t pursue making artworks for my own pleasure.

Altho’ my professional background is in graphic design, until 2018, I had never made a print. The initial inspiration for picking up a lino-cutting tool came from observing a native honeyeater in the garden outside my studio window. I felt compelled to create a print, became hooked, and have been printmaking ever since. I love the limitations of the medium, and the way it makes one think both systematically and creatively to produce an image.”

As well as birds, animals and landscapes, other areas of interest for Steve are striking architecture, mythical traditions (the stranger, the better) and music culture. Living in Drouin, with close proximity to ocean and bush, city and suburbia, density and open space – he finds a plentiful supply of subject matter.

Steve is available for commissions, collaborations and other opportunities to mess about with ink, so please get in touch.