VWA Artists in Residence Open Studio
Presented by Victorian Woodworkers Association Artists in Residence
DETAILS
Free, no booking required
Victorian Woodworkers Association
5 Tyrone St, North Melbourne VIC, Australia
DATES
Fri 22 May 2 – 6pm
Sat 23 May 2 – 6pm
Sat 23 May 6 – 8pmBook now
Opening night, booking required
Sun 24 May 10am – 4pm
The Victorian Woodworkers Association opens the studios of its five current Artists in Residence – Freddy Mata Mendoza, Wanda Gillespie, Emily McRae, Caleb Biffanti and Margot Feast. This open studio exhibition offers a glimpse into contemporary woodworking practice, from early sketches and prototypes to finished works.
Over three days – 22–24 May – visitors can explore works in progress, completed pieces and the varied processes that drive each maker’s practice. An opening event will be held on Saturday 23 May, 6–8 pm.
Across furniture, fine joinery, sculpture and experimental forms, the exhibition highlights the handmade, the exchange of ideas and the creative community shaping the world they want to build – one piece at a time.
Participants
Freddy Mata Mendoza
With an early career in architecture, Freddy Mata Mendoza transitioned to furniture design to pursue a more tactile relationship with form and material. His work is informed by real-life experiences – the sounds of the city, the rhythms of live music and the textures, patterns and atmospheres of the natural and built environment.
Wanda Gillespie
Wanda Gillespie is a contemporary artist working across sculpture, installation and public art. Known for her interactive abacus sculptures and carved figurative works, her practice explores history, time and the mystical. She draws inspiration from ancient artefacts and the mathematical harmonies found in nature.
Emily McRae
With a background in architecture, Emily McRae is a Melbourne/Naarm-based designer and maker who experiments with traditional craft techniques in playful and unexpected ways. Her practice ranges from one-off pieces to small batch production, with an emphasis on considered, timeless outcomes.
Caleb Biffanti
Caleb Biffanti is an emerging designer-maker whose work bridges concept and craft. Drawing on personal reference points and cultural memory, he employs quiet, deliberate gestures to make the familiar feel newly perceptible and timeless.
Margot Feast
With a foundation in sculpture, Margot Feast explores space, form and materiality through furniture and functional objects. Favouring hand tools, her work carries a distinctly tactile quality, inviting connection, curiosity and imaginative engagement.