Baldessin Press Studio

Last week Craig and I travelled to Melbourne for a holiday.  And the golden rule for me is that every holiday must involve some art!   So this holiday I spent a few days at Baldessin Press Studio at St Andrews, less than an hour from Melbourne Airport.  Tess and Lloyd were my hosts at this very beautiful bushland location.

In a perfect 'happy relationship' arrangement, Craig dropped me off at Baldessin whilst he travelled to compete in a Mountain Bike Orienteering event a few hours away.   I spent 3 days monoprinting at Baldessin, having full access to their facilities.  Its a wonderful space, a stone building with plenty of character, a good layout and plenty of working space, all to myself.

The other great benefit of Baldessin is the onsite accomodation.  I stayed in 'The Garret', attic accomodation above the studio.  It was basic and rustic but the price and location was perfect, with 24 hour studio access included.

The Studio (rear side view), with the windows of
'The Garret' accomodation up the top.

Whilst at Baldessin, I worked on a series of prints based on an image of a Willy Wag Tail, one of my favourite garden birds.  As I worked I reflected that the prints I created connected more with the delightful little wrens that were dancing around in the shrubs near the studio.  I also printed a series of monotypes using leaves and plant materials that I picked up in and around Baldessin on my daily walks.  I plan to make these prints into an artist book as a record of my stay at Baldessin.

Working with the press, monoprinting

View of part of the studio, lots of bench space all for me!
This view is of course before I started spreading my stuff
all over the place......

An 'arty' photo of gorgeous rollers and etching inks!

The press, a good size and easy to work with.
Plenty of space to move all around it.

The leaf prints I'll make into a book.  I printed on
some beautiful fine papers I bought at
Neil Wallace Printmaking Supplies in
Melbourne.

Some of my stencils and objects I worked with.

Some finished prints, the photos of course don't do them justice!

For more information about Baldessin, go to http://baldessinpress.com.au/.  They're also on facebook.