FPS

Get in touch - this is a rare opportunity! Must be a printmaker and able to assist or conduct printmaking workshops. Apply now. #printmakingstudio #artstudioforrent #melbourneprintmakers

DEADLINE APPROACHING - Work and Forms to be submitted by the 6th June Less than a month to get your entries in for Etched. The Exhibition will celebrate all things 'acid' etched and inky! Drypoint plates are not elligible for this exhibition. FPS's Etched exhibition invites submissions of etchings made using any material; copper, zinc, steel, etc. as long as the printing matrix has been etched (i.e. using a acid bath). The exhibition is a celebration of contemporary printmaking that uses method's developed over 5 centuries ago. Drypoint only plates are not eligble for this exhibition, however drypoint can be used in conjunction with etching. Not a Member? Memberships start from as little as $55 with a range of members oppurtunities and discounts availble. All information is on our website or email any enquiries to [email protected] we would love to welcome you to the FPS community.

Final week- don’t miss this! ‘Exploration’ Kay Watanabe 6th - 23rd May Kay has mastered numerous print techniques and experiments with these techniques to achieve new effects or textures and these are superbly printed on carefully selected papers which complement the imagery. Make sure you view these works. The title of Kay’s Melbourne show is “Exploration,” which suggests her geographical adventures whilst seeking subjects of interest. Kay also explores and experiments with various printmaking techniques and other media to articulate her thoughts and emotions. In her works, forests and trees are recurring motifs, as well as water and stones, as the symbol of nature and natural phenomena Kay is interested in. She often uses pines and ferns to express the long history of nature on Earth. In exploring creative possibilities, Kay used various printmaking techniques, sometimes independently and at other times mixing more than two of them. These include relief printing techniques such as linocut, mokuhanga Japanese woodblock as well as hand-carved stamps. She used hand-dyed paper and monotypes to create her collages. For the works shown in her “Exploration” exhibition, Kay printed on Japanese washi paper from different papermakers, Nepalese paper in different weight and texture, newspaper as well as western printmaking paper. @kayw_artist #mokuhanga #woodcut #monoprint #collagraph

Lucas Jennings printing a new edition ahead of his solo exhibition in our FPS Gallery this July, One-Hundred Monkeys in a Firestation Lucas Jennings A love letter to the most pendulous of primates, the Proboscis Monkey. A vast showcase of artworks dedicated to one of the world’s most eccentric and unique creatures. 29th July - 15th August Opening Event: Thursday 30th July 6-8pm @lucasjenningsart #reductionlino #reliefprint #rmitprintmaking @rmit_print_studio

Pics from today’s Letterpress Club with big thanks to supervisor, Sally Nansen. Firestation’s monthly Letterpress Club, empowering participants with the necessary skills for working in an independent and ongoing manner with Firestation’s wood type collection, chases and proofing press. BOOK next session June 19th. EXHIBIT ‘The Writing On the Wall: Text in Contemporary Printmaking’ Group exhibition, CALL OUT for FPS members. Not a member? Join us! ENTRY DEADLINE: Saturday 27th August 2026 EXHIBITION DATES: 9th Sep- 3rd Aug 2026 @abbigilbert_maker @sallynansen #letterpress #woodtype #textinart @stonningtoncitycouncil @glenferrieroadmalvern @stonningtonresidents

Sara Cope, who was awarded one of two 2026 FPS/Arts National Melbourne Annual Young Printmakers Graduate Scholarships, recently completed her induction and it’s fabulous to see her printing in our studio! We congratulate both Sara @saracope_art and her fellow recipient, Emma @silvergum.prints and are delighted to welcome them to our print studio and look forward to exhibiting their works. This is offered annually to two Australian resident students, aged 18-25. One selected by representatives from FPS and Arts National in person at a Graduate Exhibition, and the second selected based on application. Annually, FPS and Arts National encourage students from printmaking departments across Australia and our local institutions - Monash University, VCA, RMIT, Box Hill Institute and Melb Polytech to apply. The Scholarship includes one year membership, 6 months studio access, and a two person exhibition. The Firestation Print Studio thanks Arts National Melbourne for generously sponsoring this Scholarship. @rmit_print_studio @artsnationalaustralia

21st NOVEMBER FPS Summer Art Market After the success of the inaugural Summer Art Market, FPS is once again hosting this event and inviting FPS MEMBERS ONLY to apply for a table space on the day. This year's Market will be on the 21st of November from 11am - 4pm. Details for Applicants: This year we have opened up an expression of interest process, this can be done through a quick online form on our website, that runs through a few simple questions. These forms will be reviewed by the Exhibitions Manager and Director who will then confirm spaces with artists in July. Costs: We have a range of table options in the Studio and Backroom spaces of the Firestation. #artmarket #artistsmarket #communityartstudio #communityarts

Book NOW for this FRIDAY via .au in our SHOP Three hour sessions, black ink included, assistance with use of the big presses. UNDER $30 (member and concession discounts) LINO CLUB FRIDAY SESSIONS 10am - 1pm ​FRIDAY SESSIONS LINO/REDUCTION CLUB UPCOMING DATES: ​Fri May 15th Fri June 12th Fri July 17th Fri Aug 21st FPS print clubs are proudly supported by the City of Stonnington. @sande_bruch #linoclub #printclub #reliefprint #communityprintmaking @stonningtonresidents @stonningtoncitycouncil

Book via our website SHOP for Letterpress Club next session Friday May 15th @sallynansen and @abbigilbert_maker supervise these inspirational sessions. FPS LETTERPRESS CLUB - now proudly supported by the City of Stonnington One FRIDAY morning, each month, 10am -1pm members $22, non members $27.50, only 6 places Letterpress Club is supervised by experienced Letterpress printers, Abbi Gilbert and Sally Nansen. Letterpress Club is now open to all, no prior experience necessary. For those new to the technique you can observe demonstrations and have a go at simply type and bold lettering. You can experiment, have a play. Get to know this medium and if you enjoy it, sign up for a workshop to learn this skill and be able to achieve more in print club. This club provides also an opportunity for those who have participated in one of our FPS Letterpress workshops to come in and access our substantial type collection and Letterpress presses to advance their knowledge and complete projects. @abbigilbert_maker @sallynansen #learnletterpress #communityprintshop #letterpressmelbourne #stonningtonresidents #cityofstonnington

INTAGLIO CLUB You might have heard of FPS’s wonderful Print Clubs? Intaglio Club is for printing drypoint and collagraph and etching. (Acid etching will not be undertaken in these sessions). Pre-etched plates can be printed. This is for those who already have at least a little experience in these processes. You need to bring along your own project to work on. These are not teaching sessions, instead, they are supervised sessions, where an experienced supervisor is on hand to assist and provide valuable advice. Printmakers share the presses in a collegiate encouraging creative space. You need to bring your own printmaking tools, plate to work on, and print paper. Black ink is provided. We do sell paper and coloured ink in our office. We supply newsprint for proofing, presses for use, press blankets, black ink and solutions and rags for clean-up. Remember to wear an apron and closed toed shoes. Before leaving at the end of the day we ask participants to clean and sanitise their workstation, incl. bench top, press wheels and any shared tools. Intaglio Club will be run by experienced printmakers and educators, Liz Millsom, Bronwyn Rees and Laura Osborne. We look forward to welcoming you to our next session. Book via our Website Shop or over the phone during office hours, Wed-Sat 11am - 4pm. Our print clubs are proudly supported by the City of Stonnington. @lizcmillsom #intaglo #intaglioprint #learnprintamaking @stonningtoncitycouncil @whatsonstonnington @stonningtonresidents

Look who has been in our studios lately! 1. Graduate Prize winner Emma Ballinger @silvergum.prints 2. Artist Book Prize winner Jacqui Sidney @ajacquisidney 3. Margie Marks, studio artist and FPS President @margaretmarks 4. Ruth Stanton, etchings in the making for her awarded Shirley Joan Ross Scholarship solo exhibition at FPS @ruthstanton_art 4. Lucas Jennings, Graduate Prize winner, artist book prize honourable mention and FPS treasurer - helping out with bookkeeping @lucasjenningsart Wonderful creatives in a joyful studio #communityprintstudio #stonningtonresidents #cityofstonnington

Congratulations Kay Watanabe on the opening of your solo exhibition of prints. Thank you all who joined us to celebrate with her. Kay has mastered numerous print techniques and experiments with these techniques to achieve new effects or textures and these are superbly printed on carefully selected papers which complement the imagery. Make sure you view these works in person Exhibition dates: 6-23rd May The title of Kay’s Melbourne show is “Exploration,” which suggests her geographical adventures whilst seeking subjects of interest. Kay also explores and experiments with various printmaking techniques and other media to articulate her thoughts and emotions. In her works, forests and trees are recurring motifs, as well as water and stones, as the symbol of nature and natural phenomena Kay is interested in. She often uses pines and ferns to express the long history of nature on Earth. In exploring creative possibilities, Kay used various printmaking techniques, sometimes independently and at other times mixing more than two of them. These include relief printing techniques such as linocut, mokuhanga Japanese woodblock as well as hand-carved stamps. She used hand-dyed paper and monotypes to create her collages. For the works shown in her “Exploration” exhibition, Kay printed on Japanese washi paper from different papermakers, Nepalese paper in different weight and texture, newspaper as well as western printmaking paper. @kayw_artist #mokuhanga #woodcut #monoprint #collagraph