Stuart McMillan, AiR 2024
In my time as Artist in Residence at the Cannery Arts Centre the Print Room was great for running workshops, experimenting and exploring new processes.
As a valuable community asset, upgrades to the facility would benefit so many and add a new dimension to what the Cannery Arts Centre Print Room has to offer for locals and visiting artists. Get behind this great fundraising effort, art is the joy the world needs right now and every little bit can make a difference.
Michelle Stevens, AiR 2024
During my time as an Artist in Residence at The Cannery, the Print Room truly was the highlight of my artistic experience.
I had arrived with sketchbooks of plans to complete drawings, without any plans initially for printmaking. However, after I received a demo on creating monotypes, I dove in completely to utilizing the printing press and was completely struck with inspiration and excitement about the process.
Hours were spent experimenting and furthering my visual language in that room, and it was a completely invaluable experience for me. Spaces like the Print Room at The Canner - with large tables, tools, cleaning stations, and printing presses - are incredible facilitators for the growth of artists. When I think of my AIR experience, I think of the Print Room!
Fi Wilkie, AiR 2025
The Cannery is such a surprising find for artists from outside the region
An incredible but remote part of the world, The Cannery has played host to me twice so I could run workshops and hold an exhibition.
The print room has great potential as a high grade and diverse practice room and studio, I note it is multi functional and offers itself for all kinds of uses - to all kinds of community groups - so finding a raw, large, secure, well lit room was a Huge bonus - it is old and needs some help to develop the work and potential of its users - a workshop space like this is fantastic and important asset for visiting and local artists, teachers and students .
Samantha Thompson, AiR 2026
As a printmaker, The Cannery Print Room was a big draw card to apply as an artist in residence. The room has a great set up, however it is aging and small improvement and upgrades (hot water for example) would improve the experience for artists and community.
The Print Room was designed as a big open print room, and has hosted a variety of art making over the years. I loved working from this central space, and encourage people to give what they can, so that artists and community can continue to make memories and encourage creativity from this space.
Kevin Robertson, AiR 1998
I remember my time at the Cannery as a really nice experience. Coming from Norseman, Esperance was our family holiday town, so really nice associations. It’s great to see old images! I remember doing some portrait workshops as part of the “Oddfellows” exhibition curated by Sandra Murray featuring figurative artists from Perth (which included by paintings) that was on at the Cannery and touring in 1996/97.
On the photo opposite: I was teaching colour mixing in this photo, taken by the then director Andre Lipscombe. The kids were surprisingly enthusiastic - so much energy there!
Banner image by Dan Paris.
Stuart McMillan image by Rani Fankha. Michelle Stevens image by Katie Witt. Fi Wilkie image by Sarsby Martin. Samantha Thompson image by Rosie Henderson. Kevin Robertson image by Andre Lipscombe.