Stephen Lawler - prints and biography

Biography

Stephen Lawlor (b. 1958, Dublin) is a leading Irish artist whose career spans painting, printmaking, and sculpture. An honours graduate of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin (1980–1983), he began his career in the 1980s as a teacher at the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. During this time, he developed a visual language rooted in classical traditions, often centered on the figure of the horse. Through drawings, etchings, lithographs, and monotypes, he explored this subject with both technical rigor and expressive invention.

Over time, Lawlor broadened his practice, becoming recognized as both a master printer and an accomplished painter. His prints reveal a sustained dialogue with European art history, reimagining Renaissance and Baroque motifs through a contemporary lens. His paintings often share this sensibility, layering references from the past with a modern intensity. More recently, he has turned to bronze sculpture, expanding his exploration of form into three dimensions.

Lawlor’s career has been marked by national and international recognition. He has presented solo exhibitions in Ireland, England, and the United States, and participated in group exhibitions across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. His work is held in private and public collections worldwide, spanning the United States, Australia, the Far East, and much of Europe.

Beyond his studio practice, Lawlor has been a vital force in the printmaking community. A member of Graphic Studio Dublin since 1984, he currently serves as Chairman of the organization, helping foster its role as a hub for fine art printmaking in Ireland. In 2016, he was elected an associate member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) in London. That same year, he became a founding member of the International Academic Printmaking Alliance (IAPA) in Beijing, furthering international collaboration in the graphic arts.

Balancing tradition and innovation, Stephen Lawlor continues to evolve as a painter, printmaker, and sculptor, affirming his position as one of Ireland’s most versatile contemporary artists.