Bio & Rationale
The second iteration of Ginger Beerd takes a bold step away from the salty sea dog we all knew and loved. This time, Steve conjured a ginger-bearded lady – regal, beautiful, and cheekily subversive. Dressed in a blouse reminiscent of the mid-18th century, she nods to the era of the first brewed ginger beers. Her pose is classic, but her face merges timeless beauty with that fiery beard. More than just a carnival oddity, Steve’s lady reflects how ginger beer itself has evolved: once an outsider, now embraced as part of the family. Both are beguiling in their own way – beauty with a touch of roughness.
Steven Falco has been part of Aether Brewing since the beginning, helping shape the artwork that set our early core range apart. Based in Brisbane, he’s a fine artist, mural painter, illustrator and digital artist whose life is anchored in making and sharing art. As one half of the Brightsiders mural collective, Steve’s large-scale works brighten streetscapes across Queensland, while his role at QAGOMA keeps him deeply immersed in the wider arts scene.
What makes Steve’s work stand out is its generosity. Every piece comes from a place of positivity, using colour, form and storytelling to uplift communities and environments. He draws from the natural world, his own lived experience, and a lineage of artists past and present – distilling it all into art that feels both timeless and alive. His collaboration with Aether shows that range: from early gothic-tinged labels to the playful creativity of The Bearded Lady, he continues to expand what Aether’s cans can be.
