Megalo Studio residency

Megalo Print Studio

In early July I finally gave up waiting to hear about the Megalo Studio and Gallery Residency Award that I had won when graduating from NAS, and decided to get in touch with Megalo myself. Their reply was they could fit me in the following month or wait until next year. Seeing as I’m a casual worker and love cold weather - I of course said yes to a month in Canberra in the middle of Winter.

I knew more or less immediately that my time at Megalo would be spent exploring the idea I’d touched on the year before, appropriating iconic record covers. While still at home I researched many 'most iconic record covers of all time’ lists as well as perused my own library or songs, deciding on which ones I could work with but also ones that viewers would recognise. It wasn’t too hard a task since there are so many fantastic works to choose from in the history of music. It was actually quite fun looking through the lists as there were some pretty great examples that I’d never seen before. It still bothers me that I couldn’t use some of my favourites such as Janis Joplin’s Pearl and any from Springsteen, as I just couldn’t think of anything to do with them.

The beautiful presses - I printed everything on the far one

Although I went to the neighbouring Old Bus Depot Markets all the time growing up, I’d never stepped foot in Megalo Studio. It’s such a beautiful building with big windows all along it, and filled to the brim with printmaking books and equipment - I was a very happy camper after being shown around and getting the debrief. The accomodation at the adorable Cargill Cottage was so convenient, though it was admittedly tough going back to cooking on an electric stovetop after being spoiled so long with a gas one - not that I cooked much anyway. On behalf of my bank account I’m ashamed to say all I did was make breakfast and cook dinner twice.

4th attempt of fixing the aquatint that kept breaking down on the All things must pass plate

Since I arrived on a Saturday afternoon and only had time for the OHS debrief, I decided it was best to wait until the studio reopened on Tuesday to make a start on things. I struggled to find something to do in those two days other than walk along the Lake Burley for a while and stop in the NGA gift shop. First thing Tuesday morning I made sure to have press studio manager Max refresh me in the ways of an aquatint box and prepping my plate as I had zero faith in my ability to remember the processes I’d last engaged in over 6 months ago since I have the memory of a goldfish.

soaking all my Kerry prints in order to flatten them

My first plate was of Kerry Chant as the nurse on the Enema of the State Blink-182 cover. Everything in regards to etching the plate went perfectly and then right at the end I distinctly remember scratching it on something as I walked past it. I knew deep in my bones that it would mark the aquatint and low and behold the next proof showed I was right - a beautiful white scratch in the middle of the dark part of the print. I attempted a quick fix by trying to aquatint just that thin little scratch a bit darker and succeeded enough to let it slide. You can still see it of course but I just laugh when I see it - you just never know what’s going to fuck up your plate.

Cleaning up my plates after the final day of printing

From there on I was in there every single day until the day I left - the one good thing about being in a city as boring as Canberra is I never felt compelled to be anywhere else. I enjoyed walking to and from the cottage every morning and night even though it was bloody cold. My Kathmandu outlet purchase of a new jacket with many pockets was put to good use every day.

I was almost always completely alone at the etching end of the studio as the few other people making work were almost always screen printers - the facilities for which are at the other end of the building. I kind of loved the solitude though. I had great light from all the beautiful windows and was able to make a little corner for all my stuff to gather and hang on the walls.

My little work corner

In the evenings I’d eat my takeaway meal of the evening (brodburger changed my life) and fill out my (failed) grant application and chat with the fellow visiting artists who were also there on residencies. Being exposed to people I probably never would have met if not for that environment is something I will always be thankful for.

Being surrounded by printers every day also meant I could get a lot of my questions answered about setting up my own studio. Everyone was so patient with me and my pestering, though I gained just as much information from observing. The floating aquatint melting apparatus would have to be my favourite invention that I intend on stealing.

The culture at Megalo was something I really admired and I hope that when I finally succeed in opening my own little studio that a similar atmosphere can be achieved. Seeing groups coming in after work to engage in their weekly etching/litho/relief clubs was so nice to see. Strangers that had become friends through the program chatting and eating their tupperware dinners around the table before going off and printing.

I am so glad that I was given this opportunity and am really proud with the work I put in and the results I achieved. It also served as a great pick-me-up and reminder of how much I loved printmaking after being out of the game for half a year. I can’t wait for my press to arrive so I can start doing it all over again.

In the meantime I’ll be working to save all my money, fill in grant applications and maybe have a go at exhibition proposals - I suppose I have to try and show all the work I made somewhere.