Pressing Matters, Issue 5: workspace feature

What attracted you to your current workspace

About a year ago, I was lucky enough to somehow persuade my other half to give up his 'man shed' and let me use the space for my printmaking. The renamed ‘studio’ has been transformed into a space that I can get lost in (time wise). The actual size of it is a challenge (very small), but as this is my first workspace, it means an awful lot to me and I can forgive that.

As soon as I walk in, I instantly relax. It’s definitely a space that reflects the things I love - a big window, plants, flowers and an ever growing collection of beautifully designed books.

As it is just in the back garden, it’s only a roll up the stairs to bed so I am often in there until the early hours of the morning designing and preparing plates for printing. At the moment, this is it’s main use, as well as printing mini prints on my customised 3D printed press, designed by Open Press Project. I love the concept behind this project (making printing more accessible to all) and the results. I mainly use it to create mini prints for cards.

For all my major printing, I use the open access sessions on offer at the local Kiwi Print Studio. Run by printmaker, Dena O’Brien, it is such a great place to be in touch with. Dena is after all the person that introduced me to collagraph printing and hinted that it might just be my thing. She is so enthusiastic about all things print related - it’s infectious.

I am hoping to be able to invest in my own press by the end of this year so that will be a significant step in the printmaking journey and be the final piece to complete my little studio.

How does your workspace influence your work

I feel extremely lucky to have a space so close to home that I can completely switch off from the outside world in. I can make a cup of tea, go there in the morning, turn on the radio and before I know it, it’s 10pm at night and I’ve had a full day of getting all the ideas in my head, translated into collagraph plates. It therefore has a huge impact on my work and my productivity.

I love the process of building collagraph plates just as much as inking and printing them - there is something very therapeutic about it, so time in the studio is definitely treasured. It is also only a short walk from the studio door to some pretty impressive coastal walks, woodlands and nature, all of which influence my design and prints.