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Squishface Studio

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StatusActive
Founded2011
FoundersBen Hutchings
Sarah Howell
David Blumenstein
Marta Tesoro
Arran McKenna
Sacha Bryning
Country of originAustralia
Headquarters locationSouth Melbourne, Australia
Key peopleBen Hutchings
Sarah Howell
David Blumenstein
Chris Gooch
Jess Parker
Clea Chiller
Publication typesComics
Fiction genres
Official websitesquishfacestudio.com

Squishface Studio is a co-working space for comic artists and illustrators in South Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in Brunswick, Australia in November 2011 by Ben Hutchings, Sarah Howell, David Blumenstein, Marta Tesoro, Arran McKenna and Sacha Bryning, and formally opened to the public on January 26, 2012.[1] As of 2024, Howell, Blumenstein and Hutchings continue to be resident artists.

Squishface is known as a community hub for comics in Australia;[2] it is the only permanent comics maker space in the country and one of few in the world that is open to the public. It also publishes comics; three editions of the anthology Squishzine Brunstown[3] have been released. The first won a Bronze Ledger award in 2015.[4] It published its first book, Squishbook: Make comics with Squishface Studio and friends, in 2024.[5][6]

History

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In 2011, eight Melbourne comic artists were invited by the National Gallery of Victoria to spend a month in residency at the NGV Studio space at Federation Square.[7][8] Two were Sarah Howell and Ben Hutchings, who decided, along with four other local comic artists, to establish a permanent space that would function in a similar way.[9]

The original Squishface Studio was located at 309 Victoria St, Brunswick, and was a single room shop front in which eight to twelve artists were typically resident at any given time.[10] It was previously a bridal shop.[1]

Squishface Studio is now located at Studio Hall in South Melbourne, on the grounds of St Kilda Southport Uniting Church.[11] It supports itself financially by memberships and running classes.[12]

Studio activities

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The studio's major events are the Squishface Coaster Show (a parody of the Linden Postcard Show), Squishface anniversary events and the monthly drawing night (first Wednesday of each month).[13] At different times the studio has also held Ladies' Drawing Auxiliary, a showcase for the work of non-male comics makers, book launches, children's classes[14] and exhibitions.

Squishface has also been heavily involved in the Homecooked Comics Festival, which was run for several years by Squishface artists Sarah Howell and Clea Chiller and was then passed on to Black Inc publicity and marketing manager Marian Blythe.[15]

In 2023, Squishbook: Make comics with Squishface Studio and friends, "a how-to-make-comics book, and a why-you-should-make-comics book",[16] was crowdfunded, and received support from the City of Melbourne.[17] The book was officially published in 2024.[6] Contributors include David Blumenstein, Alex e Clark, Patrick Alexander, performer Nicholas J. Johnson and screenwriter Warwick Holt.[5][18][17]

In 2024 Squishface held the first Emerald Hill Comics Festival at their South Melbourne location.[19]

Resident artists

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The following artists have been resident in the studio.

Projects worked on at the studio

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  • Jase Harper's graphic novel Awkwood[20]
  • Chris Gooch's graphic novels Bottled[21]
  • Ben Hutchings' graphic novels The Invisible War, Mini-Mel and Timid Tom, Avanti! Tutta and Follow Your Gut[22][23]
  • Squishbook: Make comics with Squishface Studio and friends[5]
  • Photographer/filmmaker Kasper Voogt created a portrait series of Squishface Studio artists.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About". Tumblr. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Comics and Graphic Novels". cityofliterature.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Publications". Tumblr. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  4. ^ "2015". The Ledger Awards. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Pozible: Squishbook". www.pozible.com. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b "SQUISHBOOK Make Comics with Squishface Studio and Friends". Impact Comics. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Inherent Vice | NGV". www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  8. ^ Facter (15 July 2011). "Event – Inherent Vice – NGV - Melbourne". INVURT. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Inkers and Thinkers 2014: Squishface Studio: A Physical Hub for Comics in Melbourne by David Blumenstein | Inkers and Thinkers - Alternative Forms, Alternative Voices". Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Chris Gooch's debut graphic novel; Monkey Grip for Millennials". Daily Review: Film, stage and music reviews, interviews and more. 30 December 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Squishface Studio Open Day 2024". Melbourne - City of Literature. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Comics and Contempt: David Blumenstein, and Tristian, on Arts Funding". The Australian Comics Journal. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  13. ^ "Squishface Comic Studio Meetup (Melbourne, Australia)". Meetup. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Classes". Tumblr. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  15. ^ Mem: 32846144. "Blythe to direct Homecooked Comics Festival | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 7 March 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Johnson, David Blumenstein (Illustrator, Editor); Patrick Alexander (Illustrator); Sarah Howell (Illustrator); Scarlette Baccini (Illustrator); Warwick Holt; Ben Hutchings (Illustrator); Briar Rolfe (Illustrator); Alex Clark (Illustrator); Alex Pavlotski (Illustrator); Ive Sorocuk (Illustrator); Jin Hien Lau (Illustrator); Jo Waite (Illustrator); Nicholas. "Squishbook - Make Comics with Squishface Studio and Friends!". Brunswick Bound. Retrieved 7 December 2024. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ a b "Squishbook – Patrick Alexander's Personal Internet". Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  18. ^ Wok (17 November 2023). "I'm in a book - Squishbook!". Warwick Holt - Media Empire. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Emerald Hill Comics Festival". Melbourne - City of Literature. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Awkwood, by Jase Harper". The Australian Comics Journal. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  21. ^ "Squishface Studio". Squishface Studio. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  22. ^ "Squishface Studio on Instagram: "Here's Annie from the Invisible War."". Instagram. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  23. ^ Follow Your Gut | Book | Scribe Publications. 30 July 2024. ISBN 978-1-76138-089-1.
  24. ^ Voogt, Kasper. "Squishface Studio". Kasper Voogt. Retrieved 7 December 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Sources

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