Open Studios

Part of the mammoth Month about Making saw yours truly convince the talented folk at the Nicholas Building to open the doors of their studios for two nights.
Sandy took off her front of house hat last night went along to check it out:


With my Best Boy and Best Girl in tow I braved the Nicholas Building’s ancient lifts and traveled up up up to the ninth floor. Along with a crowd of other adventurers we wound our way around and down through a maze of dark corridors and brightly lit studio spaces.

Along the way we drooled over lovely jewelry, chatted to makers, visited tiny, crowded nooks with windows into the central shaft of the building and sparse gallery spaces with views down St Kilda road. Every studio was totally different – with each room bearing the stamp of the individual inhabitants.

Best Girl’s highlight was Idewild Press with the scent of ink in the air and the endless possibilities of the printing press. She is all fired up to do one of their short courses. Best Boy’s favorite thing was the little dancing robot man he found in the first studio we went into. He also got a kick out of getting to glimpse all the hidden away workspaces high above the city.

My #1 had to be the views of Melbourne town by night as we wound our way around the building and #2 was seeing into the work/headspaces of so many artists and craftspeople. It was a total treat see the finished products on display right next to the tools of the trade.

Thanks to MATTT for the beers and to Vicki Kassioras and Matt Thomson for organising such a great event.

Open Studios at the Nicholas Building continues on its merry way tonight: Friday 29th August 5pm-9pm