Ampersand Duck is situated in the fair city of Canberra, Australia. This post was written in 2010, before I got my <a href=”index.php?p=770″>home studio</a>.
I rent a 48-square-metre space in a purpose-built artist-run studio complex in Dickson called Australian National Capital Artists (ANCA). It’s an amazing and beautiful facility, built with full consultation with local artists. After your application is approved, and an interview, and sometimes a bit of a wait, you can get a 3-year lease that can then be followed by a renewal, so can have space for 6 years, but no more. It’s supposed to help you establish yourself so that you can move on to something else easily.I started my lease in November 2008, but didn’t manage (for health reasons) to move in until late January 2009. It took ages to get my stuff into the space and organise the press transport, etc, so I didn’t get a chance to have a studio warming until August 2009.
It was a wonderful event, and you can read all about it here and look at more images here. The space was thoroughly warmed, and splashed with champagne and wonderful food prepared earlier by PDP Mistress Zoe.
Since then the space has been reorganised to accommodate a wonderful desk and bookshelf, and will be reorganised again shortly when I welcome four majestic cabinets of type into it.
So, here is a little inventory of what I’m working with:
Printing: Vandercook SP20 proofing press (called Kitty, because it purrs), purchased from an artist who never used it, who purchased it straight from the Sydney newspaper who bought it new. How’s that for provenance? I also own two Adana tabletop presses, a 3×5 and an 8×10. They are operational, but not often used.
My son printing on the Vandercook, Dec 09
Studio visitor Andrew Schuller printing his Christmas card on one of the tabletop Adanas
Cutting: I have a funny German book guillotine bought from an online auction in Sydney. It works, but it has its quirks, one of which being a mystery oil seep that needs to be wiped before use or the thing that is being cut gets a big stain, and that causes tears. You only forget to do it once. I also have an A3 tabletop guillotine and a mini paper trimmer that I keep forgetting to replace with a better one.
Flattening: I have a large standing press bought from a bookbinder who was retiring. I couldn’t afford one of the fancy-pants presses, so came away with the ugly duckling home-built number. Still, it has inner swan about it, and works a treat when I have enough boards. I also have a small nipping press bought for $100 and a case of beer, and I don’t know how I lived without it.
Piercing, sewing, etc.: I look all the time for tools at junk shops, markets and garage sales, because I refer old things to new, and not just because they look funky and aged, but because they are usually better quality. I have a great collections of wooden handled awls, scribes and dressmaking tools. I try to think of alternative uses for household tools and objects, and many of the workshops that I teach focus on art and craft techniques that don’t need special equipment.
Reading: Absolutely essential for a studio. I have a great collection of books about bookbinding, book printing, book history, old craft manuals, old poetry volumes, quirky things I’ve found at the TOTALLY AWESOME Lifeline Bookfair, and plenty of other books and bits of sheets music and ephemera that ends up in my books or on the gallery wall.
Childminding: Also absolutely essential for a smooth working life. My 12-yo son has a corner of the room with his own table, drawers full of interesting things and lots of fabulous Warhammer (borrowed from a generous online supporter), Star Wars and Lego toys that keep him occupied for hours. He’s the one who never wants to go home…