Artist Statement:
When we returned from living overseas 2½ years ago and began house-hunting around Melbourne, we found a place in Eltham within a week of our arrival. Not too close to the city and not too far, it was the perfect place for us. Better yet, there was a large empty shell draped in cobwebs on the first floor, which opened up onto the garage. It was obviously meant to be.

The renovations with Pete the Builder were exciting, albeit filled with the frustrations of trial and error. We recycled as many materials as possible including the sink, steel beams, external doors, and cedar paneling from where the front window was cut out. The original concrete floor remains and suits my style of working – lots of sanding, dripping and scraping. The walls were finished with plywood rather than plaster which gives the space a warm, earthy feel. Rain or shine, there is a welcoming glow that fills the room.

The space is usually filled with works in progress, and very rarely my own, with two young kids in tow. Outside there is a never-ending array of local bird life to keep us entertained - kookaburras, black cockatoos, parrots and lorikeets. My favourite time to work is in the morning when the light pours in from the east. I turn on RRR or put on a CD and time just seems to pass.
Melinda Schawel