Behind the Studio Door

Art has a unique way of helping us see a place differently. And every year, Margaret River Region Open Studios (MRROS) invites us behind the scenes to meet the artists who help shape our region's creative identity. 

From painters and potters to photographers, sculptors and glass artists, more than 150 creatives open their studio doors every September, giving locals and visitors the chance to discover the stories behind the artwork. 

Host Kellie Tannock explores how MRROS has become one of the region's most celebrated events, bringing together creativity, community and tourism while showcasing the extraordinary talent that calls the Margaret River Region home.

Margaret River Region Open Studios – Australia's largest open studios event

Photo by Martine Perret, an arial of the Western Australian landscape.

Thanks for listening and if you've enjoyed this podcast, please share with your family and friends. It will help us to keep this show going if you leave us a review.

For more inspiration on visiting the Margaret River Region follow @margaretriver on Instagram or explore www.margaretriver.com.

This show was recorded at RMR 101.9FM, Margaret River Region.

Transcript

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Kellie Tannock 0:01

Hello, I'm Kellie Tannock. Welcome to Capess Conversations, where we explore the stories, people and places that make the Margaret River Region so special. Today we're diving into one of the region's most loved events, Margaret River Region Open Studios. Each September, artists right across the region open their doors, inviting us into their creative spaces to see where the magic happens. It's an art trail that invites us to see the region from a whole new perspective. And joining me now is the chair of Open Studios and an artist in her own right, Jacquie Happ. Welcome, Jacquie.

Jacquie Happ 0:41

Thank you, Kelly.

Kellie Tannock 0:43

Now, Jacquie how did the idea of Margaret River Region Open Studios originate and how has it evolved to what it is today?

Jacquie Happ 0:50

It started as an idea by Bill and Joan about 15 years ago. They're the founders. And Bill had been overseas and experienced in Open Studios in the UK and came back and went, I think we could do that. At the time, there was the Margaret River Artisans Association, which was just ticking along, you know, they had this lovely map, but it was, you know, 50 artists. And his vision, their vision, was to have a lot more artists across Busselton and Dunsborough, Margaret River and Augusta opening their studios for a period of, let's say, two weeks. And that's what they did.

Kellie Tannock 1:28

And so the original idea was allowing art lovers to get a chance to have a peek into the artists' studios and see them at work. Is that still what's at the very core of this event?

Jacquie Happ 1:38

Absolutely. That is the where the magic really happens, as they say. You would be travelling along a little track and you come across a water tank, and inside there'll be an amazing array of wood turning or paintings. And then you're learning the stories. And I think that's the heart of it. Learning the stories of those artists, what they share. It's not just about learning techniques, it's about learning why they do what they do. And they're all so passionate about it. It gives me goosebumps thinking about it all the time. You learn so much. It's really special, isn't it?

Kellie Tannock 2:14

And it's very popular with locals. It does also attract a lot of visitors from Perth and further afield. But beyond the arts themselves, how does Open Studio support local businesses and the broader community?

Jacquie Happ 2:26

Well, we sell $2 million worth of art in two weeks. There's someone who works full-time that but they love to paint. And this is their opportunity to use all of those paintings that are sitting there in a corner to make some money and share their story. So they open their doors for two weeks and they might sell $15,000 worth of artworks. And that's not a small amount of money. And it means that they can go and do the same thing again for the next year.

Kellie Tannock 2:58

I guess it's not just about the money for them, but making this connection and getting the feedback from people about these works they've been working on on their own.

Jacquie Happ 3:05

That's right. And artists tend to work in isolation. So one of the really warm things about Open Studios is that for the artists, it's not just that period of time, the Open Studio period of time. It's actually the fellowship and the little networks that they build up with similar visual artists or potters through the whole year. They'll catch up and they'll have coffee. We also have regional representatives who will connect people together. And sometimes we have workshops where they're learning how to do public speaking or they're learning how to style the studio. So it it's not just about the two weeks, it's about a whole year and uh bringing a community, a creative community together. And and what role does a strong arts culture have on a region and its community? Uh that's a really hard question to answer because it's not something tangible. It's a feeling and it's uh about uh people learning from each other and being able to express how they feel about their environment, uh a subject that's important to them. It could be their family through portraits, it could be their livelihood. So there's there's a number of potters, for example, who have businesses that are operating every day through the year. There's photographers, there's painters and jewellers, they're they're there uh through the whole year, but this part of the year during open studios is a time when they get to go, you know what, I've got to build towards a new collection, or I've got to learn something new, or I want to learn something new, so I'm not stagnant in my practice.

Kellie Tannock 4:49

And you've got people of all ages, I believe. You've got a 14-year-old, an artist through into their 70s, is that right?

Jacquie Happ 4:54

Oh, yeah, there's all ages, and it that's also really amazing. It doesn't just stop in open studios, for instance, Sculpture by the Bay in Dunsborough this year. There was the 14-year-old, and then he's been inspired to to join. He can only open on the weekends because he's still got to go to school. But with someone like that, who knows where their life is going to go. This this year they're doing metal, but who knows where maybe it'll be wood or maybe there'll be an engineer, who knows? But they're they're encouraged to have a go. We also have another program that we support where uh one of the galleries runs an uh competition and we support a youth or a young person to be involved and they have their exhibition there.

Kellie Tannock 5:41

Uh Jacquie, have you sit in a unique position as both an artist and chair? How does that shape the way you see open studios?

Jacquie Happ 5:50

I just can't see myself as an artist. I've had a go, I've had a go at making pottery, and I really enjoyed it, but uh I think my artistry is in bringing people together, and uh I get so much joy from that more than I do from actually doing something with my hands. My heart is filled when I see people talking about a sculpture or a painting, and that's what you don't see, and you can't measure when you see a 15-year-old child and grandma talking about a sculpture and having an animated conversation about why they like it or why they don't like it. What I think is that watching other people gives the visitor the opportunity to be uh creative themselves. So uh quite often you hear um the farmers going in to see someone who's done these sculptures out of farm machinery, and they go, Oh, I've got all those bits and pieces at home, you know, I could do that. But they could. They don't, but they could. So it gives them permission to have a go. And a lot of the artists will also have events, so they'll do workshops, and people don't have to be successful, but they just have to have a go. And I think that's uh really important because their phones are away, but they're concentrating on something, and it's and then they're they're talking to other people and they'll have a laugh as and it's a connection, and that's the beauty of art therapy, it's the reason why um workshops like that work.

Kellie Tannock 7:34

And finally, Jacquie, if someone has never done Open Studios before, what advice would you give them on where to start?

Jacquie Happ 7:41

So, starting as a visitor, I would highly recommend going to our website because that features all of the artists that are participating this year. And you can do that any time of the year because it's usually live. And there's photographs and there's biographies of all the various people. And when you have a look through there, you can sort it by ceramics, by painting, by photography, jewelry, glass. So, you know, whatever you're interested in, you can sort it by that, and then you can sort it by region. So maybe you just want to travel around Margaret River or Cowaramup, but there's a lot most of the artists um will often come from the Shire of Augusta Margaret River.

Kellie Tannock 8:23

So are there any tools we can use, Jacquie, to help us navigate from one end of the region to the other and trying to um you know map out our day?

Jacquie Happ 8:31

Yes, there's something called the artist trailmaker, and that's using Google, I believe, to um sort out your day. So you just load onto your page all the different places that you or artists that you want to go and visit, and then it will put together an itinerary for you. But you know, you might just stop along the way and find another number 26, which you didn't think was uh close by, but actually it's right there. So you can just have the the signs on the road with all of the artists. Um so I'd I'd be following the signs, and I'd probably be choosing a region unless you're really, really interested in something about some media specifically.

Kellie Tannock 9:11

That's great advice. So enjoy the journey by the sounds of it. Look, thanks so much for your time on Cape's Conversations. That was chair of Margaret River Open Studios, Jacquie Happ, and I'm Kellie Tannock. My next guest has a very enviable role with Open Studios. We'll find out what an art ambassador it does after this song by Australian indigenous artist Emily Warrimura with Lady Blue. Welcome back to Capes Conversation, sponsored by Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association. I'm Kellie Tannock, and joining me now is Andrew Thornton Hick, who has a fabulous role as an ambassador for Margaret River Region Open Studios. Andrew, welcome. Hi, how are you? Andrew, tell us about your own professional background and how you became to be an ambassador for arts in our region.

Andrew Thornton Hick 12:43

Oh gosh, um, I've been involved in the arts for uh a very long time. Going into design and then into interiors, working a decade in London, working in Milan as well, and had some some projects in France. I was sourcing art, buying art for projects. I think my only version of gambling was going to the Royal Academy and buying a piece every year in London. And um coming back to Perth, that transferred to grad shows and then open studios. I think seven, seven or eight years now I've been going down, and it became a little bit of uh contagious enthusiasm amongst my friends and other architects and designers in Perth where we wanted to get down there, see what's new, see what's being created, and uh it almost has become a little bit competitive, you know, who's going to who on which day, and you see that little red dot go up and ability goes, ah. But at the same point in time, I I recognize this need for interior designers. We're not buying everything all at the one time each year. We've got projects all the year round. So getting more people from Perth to come down, build up an arsenal of creative people to have a repertoire that's on tap. And then when that project comes up, I visited that sculptor, that artist, that uh that painter, and you know exactly who to call on. And I sort of started spreading the word, and then next thing you know, I'm doing dozens and dozens of stories on my Instagram, and Lizzie from uh Lizzie Pepper Marketing and I got together and decided that look, we really needed to make more of this and build a stronger connection between the creators in the Southwest uh and the creators community up in Perth. And it's sort of snowballed from there, really.

Kellie Tannock 14:14

So you're bringing new ambassadors on board now, if that's what's happening now?

Andrew Thornton Hick 14:18

Yeah, one of the big things I I've been giving myself the mantra of visiting every single artist, spreading the love, making sure everyone was getting stories on social media. And uh this year we've we've expanded, so we have four regional ambassadors joining me in the program, which is really exciting. For Busselton, Cindy Mather from Jackson's marketing team is joining us. For Dunsborough and Yallingup, Emma Skinner, the director of Yallingup Gallery, joined us. to Cowaramup, we have uh Lauren Willhem, who's an artist and longtime, uh long-term MROS devotee, uh joining us for that area. And then for Margaret River, we have Janine Carter, who obviously radio host, very well known in the area, and a staunch supporter of uh local tourism with the MRBTA as well. So it's uh a really interesting sort of spread of people to help spread the stories of the event, to act as a uh a sort of a community figure, but also a local connection between people in the region from tourism to the arts, um, to hospitality, basically about expanding the way our stories can reach a greater population.

Kellie Tannock 15:20

That's pretty impressive. So you uh between you all you're getting out to won't more than 150 studios by the sounds across the region.

Andrew Thornton Hick 15:27

Yeah. Look, I mean it has been said to me, oh gosh, so you won't have to get to all 152 studios yourself this year. But I've got a feeling I probably still will. There is a compulsive addiction to creativity that uh that definitely spurs me on. But I I will certainly be sharing the the storytelling. I mean, that's the biggest part, I think, is you get a different connection every time you go into an artist's home, into their creative space. That's the most beautiful thing about it.

Kellie Tannock 15:52

Well, tell us about that. How important is storytelling in in what artists are sharing during Open Studios? And and is the story of each artist part of what you think attracts visitors to this to this event?

Andrew Thornton Hick 16:03

Absolutely. I think the inclusivity of the event is is paramount, and I've sort of seen that from many more sides now being involved with the board as well. We have a new youth program coming on board, we have a new donation program where philanthropy can be expanded beyond visiting studios and people purchasing creative work from the artist. They're now actually able to become a philanthropic contributor to the event, which I think is massive. And I think now that MRROS has become you know the biggest open studio event in the Southern Hemisphere, the fact that we keep finding new ways for it to reach further, not just uh locally in the southwest in WA but now interstate as well. We we get great feedback from artists that you know they've had visitors come from Canada and they've you know they've synchronized their timing to come so they can see this event. It's it's really sort of quite inspirational and great to see how far that feedback actually goes.

Kellie Tannock 16:55

It's pretty exciting, isn't it, with having such a wide range of artists. Can you you know paint a picture, if you'll pardon the pun, of uh the the different styles or or media that people might encounter?

Andrew Thornton Hick 17:05

I think it's it's really expansive to go from when someone starts maybe collecting art or being interested in art, the propensity to think of two-dimensional works is is very much so there. But I think what we've seen in recent years with glass works, with ceramic works, with sculptural works, people are now seeing a lot more 3D buying power coming down to the Southwest. And I think you know that sort of also works in cahoots with other events like Sculpture by the Bay in Dunsborough, where literally people are coming for physical work. So whether it's you know the large sort of corporate scale end of things, where it might be vineyards or estates or even commercial development in Perth, where there's the potential for art program where they're actively engaging with uh original artwork, there's that end right down to people thinking, oh well, actually glass works and ceramic works can be either wall-mounted. It it's sort of changed the perception, I think, that paintings command the 2D real estate in a in a home or in a in a building space. But now you can really much start going to the 3D pieces as well. And I think that that's the breadth of the industry. The the timber workers down south are phenomenal. And I remember going to you know wood schools down south when I was a kid and you know seeing Jarrah on a lathe, and it's great that we've got some phenomenal experience down there um producing world-class pieces, but also you know, glass artists and ceramicists. Last year we had the Triennial uh ceramics show in Fremantle, which is a triennial event in Australia, first time in 21 years, but it was in WA. And you look at how many phenomenal ceramicists there are working in the southwest. Our representation, I think, was quite overwhelming. The skill level there, um, for a global level, is is really breathtaking.

Kellie Tannock 18:45

I'm interested to know, Andrew Thornton Hick, in this age of AI where people think he can make anything and anyone can make anything, these sorts of festivals and these experiences becoming more or less important.

Andrew Thornton Hick 18:57

Oh, I think more because the richness of connecting with the artist is is the most one of the most valuable things. And I have to say, it's a huge, huge thing for an artist to let an unqualified, you know, unabraded kind of public into their creative space, you know, where you're opening yourself up to sort of criticism, critique, and conversation on so many levels, from your interiors and your decor to your arts practice, to let your doors be open for sort of three weekends and two weeks uninterrupted is is a huge thing. And I think what we found over the years is the the public that goes actually really respect that. And what it does is it also opens up ways for people to connect with the artists on multiple levels, whether it's through their subject matter or their family life or their environmental situation. Um, quite often we'll have architects going down commenting on how great the spaces are. You know, there's we've had studios in that are sort of re-uh-engineered water towers and train carriages. So the experience extends quite a way beyond the actual art sometimes as well, into something that I think gives people um, you know, so much more than just that creative kick.

Kellie Tannock 20:07

Well, that's good to know. It gives me a lot of uh hope for the creative future of our region. Andrew Thornton Hick, Margaret River Region Art Ambassador. Thanks so much for sharing your time with me today.

Andrew Thornton Hick 20:18

Absolute pleasure.

Kellie Tannock 20:19

There's a next we'll hear from an artist who's been taking part in Open Studios for many years, but first we'll hear from a Fremantle indie band called Paint. To fit today's theme, this is their 2025 single, Gift Job.

Kellie Tannock 20:31

This episode of Cape's Conversations is celebrating the region's art culture, specifically how Margaret River Region Open Studios creates a platform for artists to showcase their individual works. Joining me now is Martine Perret, photographer and longtime participant. Hello, Martine.

Kellie Tannock 23:43

Martine, perhaps could you just explain your work and what people will experience when they visit you in Open Studios?

Martine Perret 23:50

Yeah, really delighted to be part of the Margaret River Open Studios. It's been my, I think it's my 11th year actually. Time just flies, and I've been very lucky to be on the grounds of the farm Margaret River. So it's on Burnside Road and it's a working farm, but it's pretty much where land meet arts. And so there are other artists in residence, you know, on the grounds. And so we will be four artists, painter, ceramics, and so I'm really lucky to, you know, to have wonderful colleagues there on the ground and in my studio. When I when I finished my UN geek about 12 years ago and I came here, one of the things that I did was actually aerial photography, so the view from above, which I really loved. And I think everyone knows Western Australia is quite amazing, has incredible, diverse landscape with colours and shapes and textures, you know, those millennium riverbeds and all the landscape, the way it's been shaped by the years. And so to photograph from above is something that I was really lucky to be able to do. So the visitors will see some of my latest work, for example, the Abbrolos Islands. I was really happy as part of a new project with women in the Midwest region, particularly the saltwater women, so of diverse background. I've been also lucky to connect both the portraits and the landscape together because I think they they work. I'm looking forward to welcome visitors and just talk about the various and diverse landscape of Western Australia, which I just adore so much.

Kellie Tannock 25:25

You mentioned your work with the UN. Can you very briefly explain what that work was? So you've moved from photojournalism, as I understand it, to creative landscapes and now, as you mentioned, documenting people and stories within indigenous cultures. What excites you about what you're currently working on, as you mentioned?

Martine Perret 25:42

When I was in the UN very briefly, I was there for 10 years and I went in country that were war torn, post-war, Burundi, the Republic Democratic of the Congo, South Sudanese, Timor. I covered Ebola crisis twice as well. And so that was really full-on, and that was an incredible work, and I feel very honored to have worked for the UN for so long. When I came, there was obviously a huge transition and shift, but I felt that here we have so many beautiful stories to tell. And so I was particularly interested in the loss and endangerment of some of our very old languages here. And I was interested to meet some of the last remaining speakers, and through my photography and storytelling, I wanted to illuminate those incredible stories. And I was really lucky because when that happens, you you need the trust, obviously, of the people you're working with, and you need to work together as a collaborator, and that that happened. So I feel really lucky. And but in order for me to tell those stories, I felt that the landscape and particularly the aerial showing the view from above was something that really was so important and worked so well with the portraits. So I think that's why I kept heading into that direction. And I think the public love seeing their own land from above as well, because it just gives that unique and diverse perspective.

Kellie Tannock 27:04

Sure, it's a real privilege. We don't all get to see it from there. Is it important to you to have new works each year in Open Studios?

Martine Perret 27:11

Oh, absolutely. I maybe occasionally I have one work that's been a best of or something, which I may put, but really honestly, every year has been always diverse and different, just because you know my work evolves as well. Sometimes you have other perspectives to show or to say and other places to show as well. So it's it is very important. And I think a lot of the public comes back to you. Not always, but some actually coming every year, and they want to see what you've been producing, what you've been working on. That engages in different conversations, which is part of the open studio as well, is just to meet the public. My work is very, in some ways, like many others, solitary. I travel a lot, you know, I do a lot of things alone as a photographer. So for me, that chance to meet the public, to have those conversations is so important. And that's why I love the open studio. It gives me 17 days to actually meet the people and them to ask questions that I sometimes take for granted. And so we have those beautiful conversations. Sometimes we just don't. Sometimes people just glide through, walk, you know, enjoy the art, and then but sometimes you end up speaking for an hour to you know with someone. Interestingly enough, a couple of people who were even tearies in front of an aerial, which I thought was quite amazing, just to spark that emotion out of someone. Absolutely.

Kellie Tannock 28:33

And you've grown up in France, obviously, you come from a very rich tradition of artistic culture. You're in Margaret River, and yet we seem to have, would you consider it a strong arts culture? And if so, why are we fostering that here?

Martine Perret 28:46

I think the environment is something, you know. I thought a lot about this question, and I thought, would my life be different if I was in Perth, for example? And yes, it would, because each time I go to the big city, you know, you're caught up in traffic and paying park meters, and I don't know what. Here, what I love you jump in a car, you don't have any of that, you don't have to worry about that. You can go straight into the environment, be inspired by the landscape, slow down, like observe and connect. And that's what helps spark your creativity. I think as an artist, you really need all of those quiet times to think, at least I do. And I think Margaret River is a perfect place to do that. I'm just so lucky to call it home, actually.

Kellie Tannock 29:27

You're also lucky to have a couple of other artists at the farm whose studios you can go and visit while you're there. But do you get around much to visit other studios in the region? Do you have that opportunity?

Martine Perret 29:37

You know, it depends. Some years I I have a little bit more time, some others I don't, but you're right. Like I'm really lucky to share with you know Jolene, Sarana, and this year Philippa as well, who's a new artist. So that's really great. Anyone visiting us will see other art forms as well. But you are right, Kelly. I wish I had the 17 days just to visit everyone because you you'd need that much at least to have a glimpse.

Kellie Tannock 30:01

And what part does Open Studios play in fostering collaboration and support among artists around the region?

Martine Perret 30:07

I think there is true opportunity, definitely, to do collaborations. I know that, for example, even in the gallery at Christian Fletcher, he invites so many artists to collaborate with him and to showcase also their work and respond to his own work, for example. And for me, the sense of connection is one of the things that is the most valuable aspect of the event. It reminds me that while we all work in different ways and different places, uh, we are part of a much larger and uh incredibly vibrant creative community.

Kellie Tannock 30:40

Thank you so much, Martine Peret, for joining us and sharing your experience of Open Studios. And that's a wrap on today's Capes Conversations. Very big thank you to my guests, Jackie Happ, Andrew Thornton Hick, and Martine Perret, and all our Open Studios artists for inviting us behind the scenes into their spaces, their processes, and their stories each year. Open Studios is one of those moments where the whole region quietly opens its doors, giving us all a chance to slow down, connect, and see the Margaret River region through a different lens. Thanks for listening. We'll see you next time on Capes Conversations, sponsored by Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association.