I’m not entirely sure whether this subject is interesting to you. Let’s face it, blog writing is the opposite of the short-form content many of us are hooked on. However, I thought writing about the studio might be interesting because, over the years, I’ve found that visitors experience the space as a glimpse into my world and everyday life.

I have packed up and left the North Melbourne studio so I can spend more time at the Yarra Ranges property. As exciting as that is, I found leaving difficult. There’s a great sense of loss, and I’m wondering why. What is so special about this space?

On a side note, I wish my practice wasn't so space-intensive, what with layers of skin surfaces, bunches of canvases covering the floor, and racks, tables and shelves filled with paints and mediums. The idea of a studio consisting simply of an easel in the corner, a box of oils and one piece being worked on at a time sounds very appealing. It would be portable and adaptable to most homes and travel locations. My studio, on the other hand, requires at least 40 square metres of space and a moving truck to relocate.

If only I had a dollar for every lovely visitor who has said, “So this is where the magic happens.” ;)

The studio is a sandbox where we play and make discoveries, some of which eventually make their way onto the canvas. Perhaps that is the magic they’re imagining. It’s a place of solitude and a container for risk. Habits are shaped, discoveries are made, and a small reflection of this is shipped out with every piece sold.

Each studio sandbox is a witness to a particular epoch of our practice. Thinking about the North Melbourne studio and the past 11 years, what discoveries were made? What directions did I explore?

Early on, I began combining skins and worked out how to create the “cells”, which was a new phenomenon in my work at the time. I also formulated a better recipe for the base, or ground, of the canvases. I developed more complex skins, using the slow drying time to create the crackle-phase skins.

I explored the use of odd-shaped canvases, initially painting onto plywood boards that I cut into shapes with a jigsaw, and later using a router to create curved-corner stretched canvases and frames.

Some of my best-resolved themes emerged from this studio, including the big bonsai works, the abstracts, the gardens and the Art Nouveau pieces. My grandest commissions to date also came from this studio: the Miami foyer pieces, the bonsai works for the Mandarin Oriental in Riyadh, and the Ovation of the Seas commission.

Before North Melbourne, my studio was in a barn in rural Tasmania. I moved from country to city, and now I am returning to the country, this time in the Victorian mountains.

The studio space there still needs a great deal of work. It is an old demountable without running water or electricity, but it has plenty of potential. There is a maze of wombat burrows underneath, so any rebuilding will need to be done with him in mind.

A bubbling creek runs along two sides of the property, and the river is just across the road. I share the land with an abundance of wildlife and many characters of the bush.

As well as sharing the artwork, I plan to share more about the studio build and the other projects taking shape on the property, so stay tuned.

Farewell My Studio

May Newsletter