Here’s a little corner of my workspace, ie: where I spend all my life :)
Highlights include a laser printer that’s so old it’s also a fax (shame there’s no landline to connect it to), my cassette player/radio from the ‘80s (still works), an I Heart NY mug I bought on my last trip to the US, and a bird’s nest fern I received as a KK gift nearly two years ago. What does your workspace look like? I would LOOOVE to see!
Claire Ritchie is a Melbourne-based designer/maker of bright, colourful prints, patterns and textiles. If you follow her on Instagram you'll instantly recognise her work - there are lots of florals, rainbows and great colour palettes. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Claire, her youngest daughter Freya and their very affectionate dog Fox for an afternoon, drinking tea and chatting. Oh yeah, and taking some photos.
Claire is originally from Fremantle, WA and then moved to Geelong, but in the last couple of years she's been in Melbourne's inner north. She works from her home studio, which sits in the middle of the sweet old rambling house she shares with her partner, their two daughters and Fox, the hound.
Claire's work often starts out as drawings in her sketch book and some of her hand drawn patterns are made using Posca pens - what a blast from the past for me! Her designs are then digitally printed onto ecofriendly, sustainable fabric which Claire sews into purses, clutches, hats and aprons. She soon plans launching a small line of clothing - you can see some samples in the photos below. Claire's mum had a big influence on her - she hand printed textiles and worked as a seamstress and sewer. She also had what Claire remembers as being a dream workspace, which I'm sure will be Claire's children's memory of this workspace.
Here are some snaps of Claire's space, which looks pretty dreamy to me. Oh, and I'm trialling putting photos in a slideshow, and you can hover for captions. I'd love to know if you think this works or not - feel free to send through any feedback here :)
How long have you been in your current workspace and where did you work from previously? I’ve been here for about a year. I was working from the tiny, freezing sunroom at the back of our house before this. Then I realised I could take over the formal dinning room! I’ve always worked from a home studio.
Do you prefer working alone or with/near others? I do prefer working solo. I get so focused that I block everything and everyone out. I enjoy having people around though. It's nice to have visitors and to share my space sometimes to get a new perspective or to see how others work. You can get so used to working solo that when you do share your space you think, "Wow! This is fun!!"
How many hours a week do you spend there? Ha ha, every minute I can!! No seriously I find myself floating into the studio at every opportunity. I do have two full days that I can solidly work. I have a six-year-old, Mila, and a two-year-old, Freya, so I’ve had to be smart about how I use my time. I do a lot on the weekends when my partner Dean is home. So it would probably be between about 20-30 hours depending on what's happening that week. Sometime I have to have a whole week off to spend with the girls.
What's your favourite thing about the space? I love my desk! I feel like having the right desk can really change how you work. I have everything I need on it. Computer, drawing materials and I can move close to the window and get really good light or further away and work on the computer. I can stand or sit, which is great for switching between computer work and then cutting up fabric and pattern making. I do love my window too, which I frequently find myself staring out of.
How, if at all, has a workspace (this or previous) influenced the way you work? Having everything I need in one space definitely makes me more productive. It's also got a lot of room to spread out and have everything out where I can see it. If I can't see what I'm working on I'll forget about it! Ha! It's also warm. My last space was freezing so I didn’t want to be in there as much.
What does your dream space look like? I have always wanted an old milk bar as my studio space. I would love to have a shop front with an open studio at the back. I like the idea of opening up my space for people to see.
What inspires your work? (ie: the work of others, a ritual, nature, colours, dreams) Nature, big-time! Whether it's colour, texture, shape I am always the one looking out the window daydreaming or the one collecting all the leaves and flowers in a cute little basket. I get my kids to take a basket with them on our walks and I end up filling it up!
I definitely feel inspired by people around me. I get really excited when I get to talk to other creatives. I feel like having a community of people around you who are like-minded can make a huge difference to your productivity.
I love op shopping and vintage markets. I am really drawn to all the old vintage kitchen wares. The bright colours and pastels pop up in my work a lot.
Do you have any tips for great things to do in your work hood? Walks to Merri Creek are great for getting a big gulp of fresh air. I’ll also pop out to my local op shop on Oakover Rd if I feel like I need some inspiration. And Vintage Garage is just down the road. High St. Thornbury isn’t far either and there are lots of great venues and shops to visit. Think Thornbury is a great little shop supporting local makers. I always pop in for a quick visit and then end up having awesome chats with Maggie or Josh, the owners. If I get coffee, mostly we make our own each morning but I will got to Ampersand or Short Round in Thornbury. Both venues have great plants to drool over. And on the other side of St Georges Rd in Thornbury I’ll head to Pearl Oyster. It is super chilled there and they are always smiling.
Finally, music or no music when you're working, or podcasts? If so, what/which? I have to have music. Especially when I’m drawing. I love how it affects what I’m doing. I’ve been listening to Bonobo a lot lately, and I’ve also gone back to an old favourite the Whitest Boy Alive. Their Dreams Album is ace. I also discovered, earlier in the year, a Fleetwood Mac album, before the girls joined the gang, called Men of the World: The Early Years. It is incredible and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard it before. If you opened my music right now you would see quite the mixture of different artists. All depends on how intensely I need to work! These are some… Flume, Bowie, Hermitude, Kaytranda, Big Scary, The Pharcyde, The Knife, A Tribe Called Quest and Massive Attack. Sometimes I will get up and have a little dance if I’m feeling good.
Website www.helloclaireritchie.com
Shop www.helloclaireritchie.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/claire__ritchie/ @claire__ritchie
Facebook www.instagram.com/claire__ritchie/
Pinterest au.pinterest.com/claire__ritchie/
Email helloclaireritchie@gmail.com
Thanks, Claire! And don't forget to follow Studio Space on Instagram: @studiospace_ #hellostudiospace or sign up to the mailing list below and be the first to find out about new studio visits.
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Words and photos © Susan Fitzgerald.
Tegan Iversen in her Fitzroy studio. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
It's been a while but Studio Space is back, this time featuring the super cute workspace of Tegan Iversen, a Melbourne-based artist and illustrator. Tegan shares her light filled studio with another creative, Lara from label Eat Me Do. There are contrasting white and pink walls, with the space above Tegan's desk featuring her own colourful hand-drawn illustrations of rainbows, lips, hearts and lightning bolts. There's also a feature wall hand painted by textile designer Abbey Rich. The east-facing window looks over Brunswick St, Fitzroy, where you can do lots of people watching (and also see Adam Bandt of The Greens' office).
Tegan studied fine arts (drawing) at the Victorian College of the Arts and since graduating in 2014 has been super prolific, exhibiting her work in a number of solo and group shows and co-running F*EMS Zine. She's also done lots of freelance work, for clients including AHD Paper & Co, Voiceworks Magazine, Filmme Fatales and The Big Issue.
Most of Tegan's work starts out as a pencil sketch on paper, which is then drawn over with pen, scanned and digitally coloured. She's also working on a project where she's replicating music and film tickets, hand painting the lettering directly onto small blocks of wood using a super fine brush. Interestingly, Tegan doesn't have a computer in her studio, which means she can devote her work time to painting and drawing without too many distractions. She then does all the scanning and computer-based work in batches, when she gets home. What a great idea!
How long have you been in your current workspace and where did you work from previously? I've only been in the space for a couple of weeks! I have a desk in my bedroom at home that I used to work from, as well as drawing in the lounge room on the couch sometimes.
Yours is a shared space. How many other people work in the space? Do you prefer working alone or with/near others? I share a space with Lara from Eat Me Do. It's really great as we both love colour and making quirky & cute work. It's fun sharing a space as you can get feedback whilst working & can bounce ideas and thoughts off one another & we also get time in the studio by ourselves which is nice too. Sometimes I'll work there late by myself. I find I'm most creative towards the end of a day.
How many hours a week do you spend there? Probably around 20 hours or so. I have two full days to spend in the studio every week and other times, mornings & nights, when I can just pop in. I have other work commitments at the moment on top of my art stuff, otherwise I would spend more time in there.
What's your favourite thing about the space? Having a place solely for art making is super awesome & I love that I'm able to decorate the space to make it feel like me. One of my favourite aesthetic things about the studio is actually the floor - I've always wanted checkerboard flooring, omg I love it!
How, if at all, has a workspace (this or previous) influenced the way you work? Having a place to make art outside of my home has definitely encouraged me to experiment a lot more with my art making - to take more risks, try different techniques & make larger scale work. It's given me the time to try painting, which I've always wanted to do.
What does your dream space look like? Probably very similar to what this space looks like, but just more physical space, which of course I would then fill with lots more stuff!
What inspires your work? Definitely colour, patterns, movies I see, things I do, places I go. Also my friends, family & all the amazing artists I follow on Insta, as well as visiting galleries & reading cute zines.
Do you have any tips for great things to do in your work hood? Omg there are so many great things around here, I am forever tempted to go buy tasty food & go shopping & go out for dranks every time I'm in the studio! There is the very delicious Vegie Bar & Attaboy Roy who has an amazing halloumi burger, Naked for Satan for drinks, Brunswick Street Gallery is just down the road & not too far away on Smith St is In.cube8r & Junior Space that both have beaut art & lots of sweet handmade things!
Finally, music or no music when you're working. Or podcasts? I love listening to something while I work. If Lara is in we'll listen to music otherwise if I'm in there solo I usually listen to podcasts. At the moment I've been enjoying listening to podcasts about art whilst I make art, such as Starving Artist and Wowee! podcast.
Website www.teganiversen.com
Instagram hwww.instagram.com/teganiversen @teganiversen
Tumblr www.teganiversen.tumblr.com
Email emailteganiversen@gmail.com
Thanks, Tegan! And don't forget to follow Studio Space on Instagram: @studiospace_ #hellostudiospace
Words and photos © Susan Fitzgerald.
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Aliça Bryson-Haynes of RARA Studio. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
The first Studio Space for 2017 features RARA Studio, a Melbourne-based ceramic practice. Up until recently RARA Studio was a collaboration between Aliça Bryson-Haynes and Ria Green, but Ria has recently stepped aside to focus on her own art practice. The work features hand-built porcelain functional ware such as mugs, bowls, plates and spoons, along with decorative and jewellery pieces. Organic forms, pastel colours and geometric patterns are a common theme.
Aliça's studio is a sun-filled room in her home in Melbourne's inner north and she shares her workspace with three adorable studio mates - Jack Russell Teti and cats Claudia and Sybil. Aliça had moved into the house just two weeks before my visit but was all set up, with no unpacked boxes in sight. In fact, the house looked so great I just had to include some pictures of it too.
As a child, Aliça and her family moved around Australia and as an adult she's spent time living overseas, in the UK, France and Indonesia. She's been back in Melbourne for six years, the longest she's spent in one place.
Aliça's background is in painting and she completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Fine Art in London, before returning to Melbourne to complete her Masters in Fine Art. She comes from a creative family and has a collection of treasured ceramic pieces created by her mother, grandmother and uncle. Aliça even learnt some ceramic skills from her mother, who practiced pottery when Aliça and her three brothers were children.
I know you've recently moved. How long have you been in your current workspace and where did you work from previously? I’ve been in the new place around two weeks but it feels like longer! I’ve been spending a lot of time nesting, which makes it feel like home. I used to live and work in Fairfield, in a cute old Californian bungalow in a north-facing studio out the back of the house. It was actually quite similar in feel to the current studio.
Do you prefer working alone or with/near others? I think my ideal is a bit of both. I really love collaborating and having someone to chat with and bounce ideas off and create things you couldn’t do by yourself. But I also love the freedom and quiet of working alone. Well, I’m never really alone, as the pets love spending time in the studio, keeping me company!
How many hours a week do you spend in your space? At the moment a lot – most days I’m in here working or popping to the post office or to Northcote Pottery to drop off or pick up something. I’ve been working on some custom orders, some new pieces for stockists and thinking about the year ahead.
What's your favourite thing about the space? I love the big north facing windows – the light is so lovely and as they are nice and low, the pets get a great view too! Lots of pink nana roses out the front to look at. I like the floorboards – we took up an old carpet when we moved in and were happy to find the boards in good condition. I’m also pretty excited about the new shelves that my partner helped me build! They are made of hardwood boards that I salvaged from a house that was being renovated in Fairfield and some old bricks leftover from an exhibition last year.
How, if at all, has your workspace (this or previous) influenced the way you work? I think having a workspace at home definitely has an influence on the way that I work or don’t work! I have to be pretty disciplined, so I don’t get distracted and decide to do some gardening or go back to bed, haha. But I really love working from home – it’s very relaxing, convenient and can be very productive. I can work as long as I want to, pop out to make tea or go for a walk with Teti to get some fresh air.
What does your dream space look like? I think my dream space would have a similar feel but be bigger, with heaps of wooden shelving and more plants! You can never have too many shelves or plants.
What inspires your work? There are lots of things that inspire me - nature, historical objects and a wide range of artists - particularly painters. I’ve always loved painting, especially the simplicity of minimalism and the softness and colour pallet of impressionism. A lot of it, especially the making of clay shapes, comes very naturally and I let my hands take the lead.
Website www.rarastudio.com
Shop http://rarastudio.bigcartel.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/hellorarastudio
Facebook www.facebook.com/hellorarastudio
And don't forget to follow Studio Space on Instagram: @studiospace_ #hellostudiospace
Aliça's desk. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Bookshelf in Aliça's studio. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Studio bookshelves and Aliça's dog Teti. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Aliça's desk. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Aliça's desk. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Giant studio monstera. Aliça's desk. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Illustration of Aliça and Teti the dog, by Seth Searle. Weaving by Ria Green. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
RARA Studio earrings. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Some RARA Studio bowls and spoons. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
In Plain Sight (Pink), 2016, pigment ink print on archival rag paper. From an ongoing collaboration between Aliça and Lizzy Sampson. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Aliça and Claudia the cat. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Tea in RARA Studio mugs. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Kitchen. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Loungeroom. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
Some of Aliça's succulents. Photo © Susan Fitzgerald 2017.
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The latest instalment of Studio Space features Marc Martin, a Melbourne-based Illustrator. Marc's light-filled studio is located above a store in the outskirts of the city. He shares the open-plan space with a group of other creatives, some indoor plants & occasionally, a dog. His space is bright and well equipped, with a workbench, a collection of books and magazines (for reference and inspiration), lots of art supplies and of course, a computer and scanner. One of the best things about the setup is it allows him to stand up while working, which he does about 50% of the time.
His background is in graphic design and in the past Marc ran a design studio with a friend, before deciding to become a full-time illustrator about four years ago. He works mainly in watercolour and his work is evocative, rich in detail and colour. And one of the biggest breakthroughs he discovered a little while back - a hairdryer! It now plays an integral part in the process of producing his work (hope I'm not giving away your trade secrets, Marc!) - no more smudges.
Marc has written numerous books, published through Penguin in English and other languages, including A River, A Forest, Max and The Curious Explorer's Illustrated Guide To Exotic Animals. He's just finished his latest book, details of which are yet to be revealed. He's also interested in the creative freedom self-publishing offers and is looking to self-release a book next year.
Marc also works as a freelance illustrator and is represented by the Jacky Winter Group. Some of his freelance clients include Monocle magazine, Wired magazine, The Financial Review, Virgin Atlantic, Assemble Papers and ACMI. He's also designed and illustrated material for various festivals. He says a good balance for him is 50% client illustration work and 50% self-directed book work.
How long have you been in the space and where did you work from previously? I’ve been here for about 5 or 6 years. Every now and then I get tempted to move, but this space is just so central and full of great people, so there’s really no reason to look anywhere else.
Yours is a shared space. How many other people work in the space? About 15 people. It’s a mix of photographers, designers, artists, writers, people studying and other creative pursuits. It’s a good bunch of people.
Do you prefer working alone or with others? In terms of a working space, I definitely prefer working with others around. It’s nice to be able to go to a space where you can get some work done, but also have the ability to chat to people and be social if you need to be. I worked form home for while, and that just made me feel very isolated.
How many hours a week do you spend there? A full working week, so pretty much 9-5, Monday to Friday. I think it’s important to treat being an artist like any other job, especially if you want to be successful at it.
How, if at all, has the space influenced the way you work? I’ve been here so long that it’s hard to say if the space has influenced my work. I know I’ve changed the way I use the space - initially I was just doing all computer based work, and slowly I’ve migrated to pretty much all hand drawn things these days. So less sitting and staring at the screen and more active, gestural work with paint and paper.
What does your dream space look like? It probably looks something like a log cabin in the woods somewhere, with a big window overlooking a lake where I can sit and make art.
What inspires you, personally or professionally? Friends, nature, travel, film, books, art, photography. I’m just about to head off on a long-deserved holiday to Ningaloo reef, so I’m pretty sure some time snorkelling, swimming with whale sharks and driving through national parks will get me inspired too!
Website: www.marcmartin.com
Shop: marcmartin.bigcartel.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marcmartinart
Instagram: @marcmartinillo
Snapchat: marcmartinart
And don't forget to follow Studio Space on Instagram: @hellostudio_ #hellostudiospace
Marc holding one of his books, A River. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.
Marc working at his computer. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.
One of Marc's studio mates and her dog. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.
Bookshelf. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.
Marc's workspace including standing desk. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.
Studio windows from the road. Photo by Susan Fitzgerald.
All photos copyright Susan Fitzgerald 2016.
Chizu and Chihiro from Fog Linen and Kaori from Tea & Treats, who was holding a tea class in the second floor event space.
Today I'm so excited to share the first international studio visit - when I was in Japan I visited the very zen workspace and shop of Yumiko Sekine of Fog Linen Work. Unfortunately, Yumiko was overseas when I was in Tokyo but some of her trusty staff showed me around and made me feel welcome.
The four-level space was custom designed and built just for Fog Linen and the business seems to fill the space perfectly, with a retail space on the ground floor, event space on the second floor, office on the third floor and a meeting room and storage space on the fourth floor. Never before have I seen such neat filing & storage - I felt like I was in a Muji or IKEA showroom!
Around 18 years ago Yumiko visited Lithuania, one of Europe's major growers of flax and producers of linen products. She was disappointed to discover that while being a major exporter of linen products, you could not buy everyday linen products in Lithuania. She contacted a number of linen manufacturers and soon began production of her own product designs in Lithuania.
Fog Linen Work now produces a large range of beautiful and functional everyday linen and household products including kitchen wares, clothing, trays and wire ware.
How long have you been in the space and where did you work from previously? 5 years. We were in another building in the same area before moving into current space. My boyfriend is the architect and he designed our current building.
How many people work in the space? I have 8 assistants, so 9 including me.
You designed and built your current four-level workspace in Tokyo. Can you talk a little about this - how did you decide how much space you needed, how many floors you needed? There was a height limit and it couldn’t be higher than now for this area and space. When we bought the space, we knew we can make a 4 storey building. So I planned 4 different things to do for each floor. 1st floor : store. 2nd floor : event space. 3rd floor : office. 4th floor: meeting, storage.
How many hours a week do you spend in your workspace? 60 hours ~ more?? Sometimes I work by myself during the weekend.
How, if at all, has the space influenced the way you? We have moved office 6 times since I started my own business. New spaces always brought something new. Before we rent the space, though this building is designed for us. It fits perfect for our store and made good balance and mood.
Which inspire you (personally or professionally)? Travelling.
Website: www.foglinenwork.com
Shop: www.shop-foglinen.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/foglinenyumiko
Facebook: www.facebook.com/linenwork.fog
And don't forget to follow Studio Space on Instagram - @studiospace_ #hellostudiospace
There was a tea ceremony being held in the event space on the morning I visited. It was all set up when I had a look through and the class arrived just as I was leaving. What a great morning they would have had!
LEVEL 4: MEETING SPACE & STORAGE SPACE
The custom designed and built building is in a relatively quiet street. You can see the three main levels and the smaller, fourth storage area at the top. There's also a balcony area which looks pretty great.
