Preparation - Stan Herd

Throughout Stan Herd’s Retrospective, at the Cider Gallery, there is a deep sense of process. Across the walls, Herd’s work spans forty years of life and several artistic media, but deep roots intertwine one another to inspire multiple pieces. One aspect unifying each piece is Herd’s preparation steps. 

Stan Herd’s work sparks from interaction. Whether it is through travel or surrounding himself with inspirational figures, Herd wraps himself up in interaction. They are moments that provoke awe, times that Herd will reflect on for weeks to come. When he leaves the atmosphere and interchange, the aesthetics leave an afterimage. As weeks and months wear on, the best interactions cause creation. Sketches. Composition Sketches. Painting studies. Sketches to Scale. Lithographic editions. Through each version, Herd’s hands process the interaction externally. New interactions happen while Herd processes old ones, until an overlap of constant creation forms. 

In the Retrospective show, versions of the same subject interact with one another. The pieces stand independently as finished work, but they communicate with one another brick by brick. Flowing through time, each visitor gets a glimpse into the interactions that inspire Herd constantly. Witness this unique journey of process Tuesday-Friday, 1-5pm throughout the next two weeks.

Sarah Jane "SJ" Dahms