Stories in Wood and Ink: Meet Richard Studer

For printmaker Richard Studer, wood engraving is far more than a process. It is storytelling carved into wood, shaped through patience, precision and imagination. His intricate prints often carry a narrative thread, sometimes playful, sometimes quietly reflective, but always deeply connected to the rich history of the medium itself.

Working between his home studio and gallery workshop in the Welsh border town of Presteigne, Richard balances two creative worlds. Alongside his printmaking practice, he continues a long career as an opera designer and director, bringing the same sense of drama, atmosphere and storytelling into his engraved work.

From Theatre to Printmaking

Richard’s printmaking journey began around fourteen years ago through training with Mike Clements and Gini Wade at the Sydney Nolan Trust. Three years ago, however, everything shifted when he moved his practice entirely into wood engraving under the mentorship of Blaze Cyan RE SWE.

“The transition to wood engraving has been life changing,” he says. “As an artist I now exhibit at a national and international level.”

Creativity has always been central to his life. Long before printmaking, Richard had already built a career in theatre.

“Outside of printmaking I’m an opera designer/director. I turned to printmaking as a means of being creative without the pressure of opening night however this has backfired as I now always seem to be up against an exhibition or competition deadline!”

Since lockdown, his creative life has become increasingly varied as he balances what now feels like two parallel careers.

Narrative, Nature and the History of Wood Engraving

At the heart of Richard’s work is storytelling. His images often feel like fragments from a larger tale, filled with symbolism, humour and carefully observed detail.

“I’m a storyteller,” he explains. “My images generally carry narrative, often whimsical but firmly rooted in the technique’s history as a tool for book illustration invented by Thomas Bewick in the late 18th century.”

Natural imagery appears frequently throughout his prints, something he traces back to his university days studying veterinary science and zoology. Birds, animals and landscapes become part of the visual language he builds through line, texture and shadow.

His chosen medium, wood engraving, demands enormous patience and control. Richard works using traditional techniques, engraving into end grain boxwood before printing by hand on his remarkable 1864 Hopkinson and Cope Albion Press, a cast iron press weighing around 250 kilograms.

He works partly from a studio at home and partly from a workshop behind his gallery in Presteigne, surrounded by tools, presses and the quiet rhythm of making.

A Life Shaped Around Creativity

No two days look quite the same. Alongside carving and printing, there are exhibitions to organise, galleries to manage and the ongoing demands that come with professional creative practice.

“Every day is varied and challenging. Any creative work also requires a level of management!”

While Richard prefers working from mid-morning into the afternoon, deadlines often dictate otherwise. His ideal creative day sounds wonderfully simple:

“A wet Sunday, phone and emails ignored, just me, my gravers and a block of boxwood.”

In the studio, there is little background noise beyond the occasional chaos caused by Mabel, his Jack Russell terrier, who apparently enjoys destroying anything left within reach on the studio floor.

His fuel of choice is equally straightforward: builders coffee made with instant coffee, milk and one sugar.

And snacks? “Like a vampire I generally don’t eat or snack till the sun sets…”

See Richard’s Work at The Artists Gallery

We’re delighted to be showing Richard Studer’s wood engravings at The Artists Gallery. His prints combine extraordinary technical skill with wit, atmosphere and storytelling, inviting viewers to slow down and look closely.

Whether you are already familiar with the traditions of wood engraving or discovering the medium for the first time, Richard’s work offers a fascinating glimpse into a centuries-old craft brought vividly into the present day.

Visit us Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm and on Sundays, 10am to 4:30pm.

You can also explore more of Richard’s work online:

🌿 www.studerfineart.com

🌿 Instagram: @studerfineart