Mercator for the Makers

Abbotsford Convent Foundation | Sidney Myer Fund

Abbotsford Convent, in a bend of the Yarra River, was home to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd for many years. In 1900 the Abbotsford Covent was the largest charitable institution in the southern hemisphere, and at its peak in 1912 housed 150 nuns and 1000 women and girls.

Following a public campaign through the late 1990s to save the Convent from private development, the State Government gifted the site to the public. The Abbotsford Convent Foundation is now the custodian of the site in perpetuity, and is well into the process of transforming it into a vibrant community space.

A major part of this process is the refurbishment of the many buildings making up the Convent. The Mercator building was built in the late 1890s and was the principal sorting and washing area of the Convent’s laundry complex.

With a gift of $1 million from the Sidney Myer Fund as part of the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program Mercator has been transformed into a home for “hard arts” practitioners. The original budget for the complete restoration of the building was nearly $3 million. With the available budget of $1 million Abbotsford Convent has managed to squeeze in ten studios, using every available bit of space, including the original bathroom!

The building and restoration works were completed in late 2009, and Mercator is now fully tenanted. Importantly, the tenants were selected towards the end of the restoration process, but at a stage where they were able to specify custom features to be included in their studios. The studios are equipped where appropriate with high voltage power outlets, wet areas, exhaust fans and so on.

Tenants include a mix of artists, artisans and designers, ranging from lighting designers to jewellery makers. They are:

• Cone 11 Design + Ceramics Studio
• Philip Stokes Studio Glass
• Sari Design: Graphic Design, Jewellery and Objects
• Volker Hauglight: Lighting
• Zaishu: Eco Design Artisans
• Pip Davey: Painter
• Ralf Kempken: Stencils & Screens
• Rona Green: Artist - Printmaking, Painting and Drawing.
• Katheryn Leopoldseder: Contemporary Jewellery Artist
• Phoebe Porter: Jeweller
• Shimara Carlow: Jeweller and Silversmith

For more information about all of these artists, please visit the Abbotsford Convent’s website www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au