Craft Conversations
Matt and Sarah run Troppo Print Studio, an artist-run open-access print studio in Melbourne's North. They will be featured in this year's Virtual Open Studios as a part of the Craft Contemporary festival.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in craft?
M – I'm a practising artist working on Aboriginal land. I work out of Troppo print studio, which I run with my wife, Sarah Murphy. I am a printmaker that likes to work with textiles. I use many craft methods in my Art practice, like quilting techniques and applique. I don't make work as well as a master craftsperson, but I give it a go and try my best. I guess craft is mostly tradition, handed down and learned from person to person, and I'm mostly self-taught regarding craft techniques, so the work might look a bit naive.
S – My name is Sarah Murphy. It's hard to say, but I think I became aware of craft through my parents. My dad seemed to be able to make anything when I was younger and, coupled with my mums' interest in local history, meant that I'd visited a lot of old buildings. My parents were able to comment on the furniture, the embroidery, the stained glass, and expected William Morris wallpaper. Over time I felt very comfortable experimenting with different materials and techniques at home and through my studies right up to university, where I focused on sculptural fabric forms with Fashion Womenswear. Outside of that, I loved to travel and managed to see lots of local artisans and styles of textiles/shoes/patterns being made throughout Eastern Europe, South America, India and Asia. This attention to how what, and why other people approach making keeps me engaged in the process.
What are some unusual places you draw inspiration from?
M – Different crafts like signwriting, applique, and quilt making that inspire me are not necessarily Western makers. Travelling through India, id be inspired by seeing the truck painters and watching the Kantha quiltmakers in Kolkata. I draw inspiration from different place's and cultures, but I don't replicate or copy the work. It's just a fresh perspective on the sometimes clinical western techniques.
S – I quite like car yards as they sometimes have unusual iron structures to divide all the bunting out across the yard. That paired with the lighting and sound of the bunting fluttering in the wind. I guess I draw inspiration or a feeling from that moment in time and try to capture it in my work somehow.
In response to COVID-19, a lot of people have re-evaluated the way they work. What impact has the pandemic had on your practice? Were they positive or negative? Have you adopted any new skills or techniques that you otherwise may not have?
M – I'm more involved in quilt making and textile works, combining these with my printmaking practice as well. There's been a lot more time to slow down and work on time-consuming projects. My stitching skills have improved, but Sarah still helps me out from time to time.
S – I feel the pandemic sort of recalibrated my practice, partly due to our studio relocation and finally finishing up my Masters in Fine Art. I always got so grumpy about Arts education and the expectant gallery space. Going back to uni forced me to come to terms with what my practice focused on, what I value, and what the process of making does for me personally.
I feel myself and Matt were a little starved of the creative energy you sometimes get when you go to an exhibition, see a band, or have your university peers chat with. But on the flip side, there are certainly advantages to not having a clue about what exhibitions or talks I've missed out on. I didn't have to compromise with my work. I seem to make process heavy, time-consuming works, and it was great to have the time to explore that.
In terms of news skills, I did a few Q+A zoom conversations with a Trade artist, an arts educator, and a UK based Anti-University group – which honestly, I would never have believed you if you told me I'd do that. That aside, I've honed old skills and gained a broader understanding of quilting, embroidery and metal crafts thanks to Matts research.
If we walked into your studio, what would we see you working on right now?
M – I just finished making a big quilt, so I'm in the writing and documenting stage of my practice. There's a lot of word documents, applications, and dirty cups. I guess it's not a visually exciting time in the studio at the moment. I am about to start on a new textile project, so I will be gathering my supplies.
S – I'm working on a soft sculpture that incorporates screen printed and stitched trapunto like panels into a cube-like shape. Each panel has an upholstered frame, with little bits and pieces stuffed into the frame's crevice around the peripheries of each panel.
Who is an underrepresented artist we should be looking at right now?
M –I like the work of Chris O'Brien. He works at the Arts Project Australia studios. He makes textile soft sculptures of houses. His work is awesome. He makes great fabric colour choices and uses oversized stitching. The buildings he makes are visually exciting.
S – Many of these artists are established, but I love the technical and conceptual practice of Stephanie Santana and Margarita Cabrera. Otherwise, I spend a great deal of time focusing on Australian screenprints. So I'd have to say the highly technical observational works of Sally Robinson, the socio-political pieces of Marie McMahon and Alison Alder, who were involved in Australia's leading poster collectives. They collaborated with unions, indigenous groups and the local council, and the technically advanced works of Bob Clutterbuck.
Thank you for your time Matt and Sarah, and we look forward to seeing you in this year's Virtual Open Studios!
Interviewed by Eloise Sim, Curatorial and Programs Assistant