Ink & Spindle - open studio

I had the pleasure of visiting local print studio Ink & Spindle at the weekend, run by the very talented duo Lara Cameron and Tegan Rose.  I went as part of the Creative Women's Group which brings together women working in creative industries and establishing small businesses to share information - and best of all be inspired and learn from other women setting up or running businesses within the creative field.

Working from home and trying to develop a small business can be isolating and a little lonely at times, so it's great to have the opportunity to get together with other creative peeps and learn how they have set up a design business.

After the talk Lara and Tegan had an open studio session where they gave a yardage screen printing demonstration - you can find details of open studio dates on their blog!

Exposed screens ready for printing, and above the fabulous Young Husband building
Ink & Spindle set up their boutique screen printing studio in 2008, with the aim of specialising in high quality and environmentally-friendly textile printing for designers and independent labels. They work from the fabulous Young Husband Wool building in Kensington, hand screen-printing their designs and creating ethical as well as a sustainable range of textiles.

Lara and Tegan hand printing on their 10m print table - but hand screen printing also means hand cleaning screens!

Some of the cushions and fabrics designed and hand printed at Ink & Spindle.
Images courtesy of the Ink & Spindle website

It was a great experience seeing Lara and Tegan hand print their designs in their fabulous studio (very jealous of their studio environment!!) and to hear about how they set up Ink & Spindle, including their great environmental commitment which is very inspiring.

I can highly recommend visiting one of their open studio sessions - dates and details on the Ink & Spindle blog and also check out the Creative Womens Group blog for future meetings.

Mercator open studios - Abbotsford Convent

Yesterday I headed along to the open studios at the newly refurbished Mercator Building at the beautiful Abbotsford Convent. The main building at the convent is already home to illustrators, writers, painters, art therapists and various health practitioners who work in dorms that once housed the Sisters of the Good Shepherd from 1863 to 1975.

Floor tile detailing and some of the beautiful stained-glass window patterns in the main convent building.

The Mercator building is the newest development in the Abbotsford Convent's transformation in becoming a creative arts community. It houses 10 light-filled open studios set in the historic buildings and beautiful surroundings of the Convent, and includes jewellery designers, industrial designers, glass artisits, ceramicists, printers etc.

The open studio was a great opportunity to meet the designer-makers who have made it their home and take a peek into their creative workspaces (I always love seeing how other creative people work!).

One of the best studios in the building is home to the amazing lighting designer Volker Haug. A huge double room with ceiling windows and a section of see-through floor, original brickwork and exposed beams show-off Volkers unique pared back and industrial-styled lighting creations.

Some of Volker Haug's lighting creations

Industrial designer Dhiren Bhagwandas was next door with another huge studio space! Lots of windows for natural light and again the space had a mix of original features but with a contemporary and simple aesthetic.

Helen Punton the creative source behind the fabulous Zaishu also occupys a delightful studio and gallery space showcasing her eco-designed slot seat/tables and line of hand-printed fabric-based products.
The seat/tables are simple in design, but beautifully executed and considered - from the involvement and collaboration with other artists and designers, to their sustainable ethos and manufacturing process. Beautiful and smart - that's what makes good design! Zaishu also has a blog for more information.

Some of the historic outbuildings found around the convent.

I am so, so envious of the space the tenants have to work in, but mostly of the artistic community they share. I envy their opportunity to work with such a diverse and creative mix of people, who can inspire each other and offer the potential for collaboration. I dream to be able to share a studio space like this and to be able to work and talk design with people.....rather than my cat! What a fantastic place to work!

The public are welcome to visit the studio's in order to purchase directly or discuss design projects with the artisans. It's probably best to contact the relevant studio to find out opening hours first.

A big thank you to Volker, Dhiren and Helen for allowing me to take photo's of their studio's to share on this blog.

You can also read more about the Mercator Studio's here:

Nicholas Building – open studios

Last night I went to the fantastic Open Studio event at The Nichols Building! The invite read ‘experience a behind the scenes look at Melbourne’s Art and Craft culture during an intimate twilight event’. And what an event it was!

The decorative entrance to the Nicholas Building with her tiled floor and stained lead-light ceiling. Stunning!

The grand building with its superb Victorian-style arcade complete with stained lead-light vaulted ceiling, opened it’s rather secretive studio doors to reveal a host of retailers, artists and designer-makers working over 8 floors.


The beautiful array of kimono fabrics and Japanese textiles at Kimono House

The creative melting-pot included amongst others; jewellers, painters, printmakers, Japanese textiles (as above) a milliner, a shoe-maker and a store totally dedicated to buttons!

One of the large shared studio spaces at the Nicholas Building

I love having a look into the lives of other creative people. A studio or the space you surround yourself with as an artistic person communicates so much about your interests, habits and creative passions. Everyone works in such different ways – in chaos, clinical order or with specific colours and inspirations – and it’s quite revealing and honest to open up a creative space to the public. I would imagine it can be quite daunting to some people – even putting yourself on display as the face behind the work. I think this is perhaps where the fascination is for many people, to see the inner often private workings of an artist or designer revealed.


I love the bird stencil found on one of the tiled interior hallway walls

What a great opportunity it was last night to meet friends and get a sneak-peek into the creative-studios of so many diverse talented artistic people. I can’t wait to go again next year!.....
For more information on the history of the Nicholas Building you can visit the Nicholas Building Arts News blog here
And also you can visit the Nicholas Building blog here

View from Tim Flemings FLATLAND OK studio on level 7 overlooking flinders street station.