Stephen Ralph creates figurative sculptures across a range of materials and processes. Since 2018, he has focused on carving marble, basalt and recycled hardwood. Earlier works include cast concrete, terrazzo, lead and turned wood. In his 2025 solo exhibition, Messenger, Ralph turned to the porous qualities of igneous basalt to rework the form of the herm, a classical term referring both to ἕρματα (hermata), ‘blocks of stone,’ and Ἑρμῆς (Hermes), the Olympian deity of heralding.

In 2024, his work was included in Roman Spectres at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney, where it was exhibited alongside 2,000-year-old Roman portraits, and in Hold the world to its word at Murray Art Museum Albury. Two marble sculptures by Ralph were acquired for Olympus Dining in Sydney.

Stephen Ralph has had a consistent studio practice since graduating from the National Art School, Sydney, in the early 1990s. He has exhibited continuously since then in commercial galleries and public and university museums. He is a co-founder of Stone Villa Inc, a prominent artist collective and studio complex in Sydney. A portrait of the artist by Mitch Cairns was shortlisted for the 2025 Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.