Update March 2010: Makespace are in full swing in their new shopfront at 19 Wolfe St, just opposite David Jones. Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 3pm.

— Makespace is a small co-operative workshop and artisan store.

The front of the space features a range of hand-made products from five makers, both functional and decorative. At the back of the shop on public view is a work space used to produce some of the goods.

Longer-term plans are to offer retail and exhibition space to other makers, and to host various art and craft sessions.

What inspired you to get involved in Renew Newcastle?

Edwina: I moved back to my hometown of Newcastle almost two years ago, and found there didn’t seem to be enough public outlets to reflect and support the number of makers in our town passionately producing their own wares (the Olive Tree Markets at the Junction School are a welcome addition to the artisan scene in Newcastle). I had also worked as part of a studio group in Sydney in the past, and knew the advantages of sharing a space with like-minded people, all celebrating the act of making things by hand. Any space on offer that meant I could get into my bedroom again – let alone free space – I knew I had to get all over it.

But mainly, it was the spirit and clarity of the idea of Renew Newcastle that really got me fired up. Newcastle has always been a much more inspiring place for me than its appearance would suggest. I wanted to support this idea from its inception, because I think it holds real and long-term potential in making Newcastle a better place.

What do you do?

The makers are:

Gillian Harris, “Look Toto” Gillian creates whimsical art (including contemporary children’s art) from junk and natural sources. She’s excited about using the opportunity of the co-op to branch into home wares and children’s fashion.

Suzie Bailey, “Once Was” Like many, Suzie is a self-confessed fabric addict – she recycles fabric from the past to make beautiful ladies and children’s clothing, hats, bags and blankets. All items in the ‘Once Was’ range were once something else – sheets, aprons, tablecloths, scarves, ties and samples of good quality classic fabric – often hiding in someone’s cupboard for decades.

Sarah Johnston, “The Eighth Day” For Sarah, the space is an opportunity to show work that otherwise becomes as she says “domestic flotsam. It’s private, it’s not quite finished, it’s beautiful and fragile – the work of people I love”.

Edwina Richards, “Fancy dancy pants” Edwina started making FDP’s for her own boys a few years ago as a form of functional relaxation, and it grew into a full range of children’s clothing for both boys and girls characterised by bold and simple graphic shapes, as well as a range of hand-made cards and buttons. She mixes vintage fabrics with contemporary Japanese, American and local (often hand-printed) cloth. Coming from a background in photographic art and film-making pre-child -making, Richards also intends to use the wall space to host small rotating exhibitions of both her own work, and that of fellow visual artists.

Jackie Smallcombe ~ Jewellery & objects It all started at around 14 years old when Jackie did her first course in beaded jewellery. She continued making jewellery using found objects like sand worn glass, pebbles & shells found on the beach, then progressed into more ‘precious” materials when she moved to Sydney to study Jewellery Design full time at the age of 18. Since then Jackie has completed courses in Foundry Metal Casting, Welding & Furniture Design. Her pieces often start with a theme, then develop & change to create a small series of work. This enables Jackie to create limited and individual production pieces and no two pieces are exactly the same.

See and hear ABC Radio in Newcastle’s feature on the opening of Make Space.

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