Nicholas Building – open studios

Last night I went to the fantastic Open Studio event at The Nichols Building! The invite read ‘experience a behind the scenes look at Melbourne’s Art and Craft culture during an intimate twilight event’. And what an event it was!

The decorative entrance to the Nicholas Building with her tiled floor and stained lead-light ceiling. Stunning!

The grand building with its superb Victorian-style arcade complete with stained lead-light vaulted ceiling, opened it’s rather secretive studio doors to reveal a host of retailers, artists and designer-makers working over 8 floors.


The beautiful array of kimono fabrics and Japanese textiles at Kimono House

The creative melting-pot included amongst others; jewellers, painters, printmakers, Japanese textiles (as above) a milliner, a shoe-maker and a store totally dedicated to buttons!

One of the large shared studio spaces at the Nicholas Building

I love having a look into the lives of other creative people. A studio or the space you surround yourself with as an artistic person communicates so much about your interests, habits and creative passions. Everyone works in such different ways – in chaos, clinical order or with specific colours and inspirations – and it’s quite revealing and honest to open up a creative space to the public. I would imagine it can be quite daunting to some people – even putting yourself on display as the face behind the work. I think this is perhaps where the fascination is for many people, to see the inner often private workings of an artist or designer revealed.


I love the bird stencil found on one of the tiled interior hallway walls

What a great opportunity it was last night to meet friends and get a sneak-peek into the creative-studios of so many diverse talented artistic people. I can’t wait to go again next year!.....
For more information on the history of the Nicholas Building you can visit the Nicholas Building Arts News blog here
And also you can visit the Nicholas Building blog here

View from Tim Flemings FLATLAND OK studio on level 7 overlooking flinders street station.

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