J Shed

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Fremantle-Australia

REPORT PREPARED FOR THE REVIEW OF THE ARTHERS HEAD ARTS PRECINCT-DRAFT

Document by Jenny Dawson (Ceramic Artist)[1] (working document/draft only/yet to be completed-October 2011).

Unit 3 J Shed welcome this opportunity to be involved in the process of consultation that contribute to decisions about policy that is now being developed for the use of these spaces and the criteria and priorities that will be implemented. We are excited about the prospects of revitalisation of the area for the town of Fremantle and look forward to being part of the plans. No maintenance has been done on the roads and paths surrounding the studios for many years.

History of the J Shed

J Shed was established as working artists studios involved in semi industrial processes in 1992. Fremantle Council provided an upgrade and offered long leases to compensate for financial outlays and set up costs incurred by tenants. The studios are not lined and the eaves are not sealed from external weather.

General History of the Arts Practise of Unit 3, Jenny Dawson

Jenny Dawson Ceramic Artist-Wellard (photo by Peter Zuvela)

Jenny Dawson and Greg James [2] are two of the founding artists of the J Shed (Arthur Kalamaris-Sculptor was the first at J Shed). They have provided stable and reliable tenancies at the J Shed paying full market value rents for their studios. Their arts businesses have been able to grow over time and infiltrate the fabric of Fremantle culture and society.[3] This was the intent and spirit that initially resulted in these premises being established. J Shed is a unique and very rare example of what can be achieved on a semi-industrial basis with co-operation between professional practising artists and Fremantle Council initiatives and co-operation. Many significant public artworks have been produced from J Shed. They include the Memorial to the Nyoongar warrior Yagan (in collaboration with Sandra Hill, Nyoongar visual artist and Elder). Unfortunately not all of the spaces at the J Shed have been used so productively.

The fact that Council have undertaken no maintenance on this heritage listed building has led to a general feeling of a rundown and underused space. Studio 3 has continued to run cultural activities and inject much needed finance into the Fremantle economy through the flow through of their endeavours to conduct small businesses within the arts industry. During the whole term of Jenny Dawson's residency at J Shed she has not resorted to government funding, grants or subsidised projects. Studio 3 achieved what they have, operating as viable small businesses, totally self funded.

The lack off maintenance by City of Fremantle has become a serious issue down at the J Shed.
The lack off maintenance by City of Fremantle at the J Shed.

Note:

  • Tenants entered into commercial renting arrangements with council.
  • Total fit out of studios was undertaken by tenants at their expense with all electricity, connection of water and plumbing, light fittings, connection of power, internal fittings including kitchen facilities, toilets, sinks, shelving, floor coverings, external doors and sky lights installed by the tenants.
  • The terms of the lease require the tenants to remove all of these fittings when they depart leaving the bare shell as was rented at the commencement of tenancy.
  • For the last 10 years tenants have paid full market valuations on their leased properties assessed by a council appointed assessor annually.
  • Tenants occupying the units are registered small business operators working within the arts industry who are totally self funded and not subsidised by government or arts grants.
  • Tenants have met safety and health regulations by providing at their expense.
  • Fire extinguishers serviced 3 monthly, disabled access, toilet facilities for visitors.
  • In the last ten years no maintenance has been done on the building by council leading to serious deterioration of the external walls, doors, gutters and down pipes.
  • No maintenance has been done on the roads and paths surrounding the studios.
  • No external lighting has been installed at either end of the building.
  • No signage or location maps have been installed.

A summary of activities running from Unit 3, J Shed

A summary of activities running from Unit 3 and contracts and work projections being undertaken by Jenny Dawson (Ceramic artist) and Peter Zuvela (Photographer) trading from J Shed as “J Shed Art Studio” September 2011.

Unit 3, J Shed Ceramic Art Studio has acquired a project for the Maddington Station upgrade with the Perth Transport Authority which needs to be completed (working with students from Yulebrook Aboriginal College).

A contract with Landcorp for the revitalisation of South Hedland with a mentoring of Indigenous artists from the regions/time line 18 months (contract worth $244,000 with more than half of this budget flowing back into Fremantle as contractors wages and material costs). A contract for ceramic tiled artworks in Mount Tom Price with Rio Tinto which will span 12 months production time (Interpreting and producing screen printed images for the Eastern Guruma people).

Peter's photography activities (Unit 3) openly supports many businesses in the West End Fremantle including Valentines Camera House, Bitches Brew Framing, Officeworks, Port Stationery and Jacksons Drawing Supplies. His students frequenting Bathers Beach and the West End. Peter Zuvela currently conducts from the J Shed photography [4] classes three to four times a week and is booked to exhibit students work well into next year. Some of these classes cater for FIFO participants. Peter Zuvela also established Foto Freo Tours which run weekly on Saturday mornings through famous Sydney photographer Alfonso Calero.[5] Peter is also conducting:

  • Yearly photography and culture tours to Korcula (Fremantle’s sister city) and the Croatian Islands
  • Peter will be holding his second solo show of his photography at Kidogo as part of Foto Freo 2012 with his exhibition titled “In search of the Ancestors”

Unit 3 also currently provides temporary work space for other artists with an artist in residence program that has hosted a number of overseas artists recently and currently hosts:

  • Rob Dawkins-Jeweler
  • Wendy Hermon-Painter
  • Carmel Coyne-Painter
Nyoongar warrior Memorial of Yagan: Completed Walls photo by Peter Zuvela

Jenny Dawson-Ceramic Artist/Designer

(B.Ed Sts/ Grad Dip Crafts/ BA Arts/ Dip Teaching)

  • Established J SHED CERAMIC ART STUDIOS 1992
  • Public Artist/Designer
  • Indigenous Mentoring and collaboration
  • Exhibiting Ceramic Artist
  • Public Art Projects
  • Artist in Residence Program offered to Visiting artists/local and overseas

Peter Zuvela-Photographer

(Advanced Dip Photography)

  • Freelance photographer and teacher
  • Established J Shed Foto Club 2010
  • Photography tours to Korcula (Croatia)
  • Teacher Fremantle Art Centre[6]
  • Photography Tours of Fremantle and Bathers Beach Precinct
  • Classes in photography from J Shed
  • Exhibiting art photographer

Employ and Subcontracted in 2011

Viktor Eszenyi (Tiler/stone mason), Sandra Hill (Indigenous Artist/Elder/Consultant), Sandra Black (Ceramic Technologist), Vince Bajada (Studio Assistant/Install team), Ivan Zuvela (Tiler/Boat Builder/Install Team), Jan Jensen (Metal Worker), Tony Pankiw (Metal Artist/Collaboration), Needham Engineering (Metal Fabrication) and ArtCom (Fabrication).

Local Business Supported Though Our Projects

  • Kennards Hire
  • Studio Red Dust
  • Churchills colour Labs
  • Fitzgeralds
  • Valentines Camera House
  • Fine Art Framers
  • Bitches Brew
  • Printline
  • Office Works
  • Art Ref
  • Swan Hardware
  • Bunnings
  • McDougalls Reprographics
  • Gary Zeck clay manufacture
  • Potters Market
  • Port Stationery
  • Fremantle Post Office
  • ANZ and National Banks Fremantle
  • Fiberglass and resin Sales
  • World Wide timbers
  • Jacksons Drawing Supplies
The lack off maintenance by City of Fremantle at the J Shed.

Contact

JENNY DAWSON (Ceramic Artist) B Ed Sts, BA Crafts, Dip Teaching, Post graduate Fine Arts

Jenny Dawson trading as J Shed Ceramic Art Studio

  • Address: Unit 3, J Shed Fleet-Street Fremantle
  • Email: jennydawsonjshed@yahoo.com.au
  • Web Site: www.jennydawson.com.
  • Facebook: J Shed Art Studio
  • M: 041 7911 078
  • Studio: +61 (08) 9430 7900

The J Shed Perspective-Cultural Development Working Group

The J Shed perspective on the report created by the "Cultural Development Working Group" [7] of the City of Fremantle has resulted in a situation where we are faced with not being able to renew our leases on a professional 5 to 10 year basis. This could potentially close our operations and force us to move and potentially destroy the Arthur's Head precinct. Other issues concerning this please read below.

  • We have found from our perspective this whole process set in motion by the "Cultural Development Working Group" of Fremantle Council to have been lacking in transparency and might we add in our opinion an under researched document.
  • The Cultural committee never spoke to us during their research process. Some members of the Fremantle Council came through J Shed early this year, also never spoke to us about this.
  • Artsource, of whom we have been members for 20 years, never told us about the process and only spoke to us after we discovered by accident that they were actually writing the recommendations based on the cultural committees report that would be put to council for vote.

Cultural Development Working Group (City of Fremantle) stated:

“ Develop the Arthur Head properties into a dedicated ‘Artists in Residence’ space. ”
“ This project would provide an area for an ‘Artists in Residence’ programme that allow for artist exchanges and ensure all arts forms and indigenous artists are included in this project. The City could partner with a Arts organisation to oversee the Artist in Residence programme increasing the number of working artists sharing skills and producing work in Fremantle. This builds upon the current successful ‘Artist in Residence’ programme run by the Fremantle Arts Centre where up to 60 working artists a year participate in various ways to the arts community in Fremantle. ”

On the surface it reads well but when you get to the core of what this implies for the diversity of arts practise in Fremantle it's a statement with huge implications for the Arthur Head properties, West End of Fremantle and Bathers Beach. The statement in essence reflects a real lack of any knowledge of basic business practises or knowledge of the West End of Fremamtle as a whole. Our main concern is that this committee has recommended to Council that the Arthur Head properties should be developed into a dedicated "artist in Residence space".

If the policies were adopted according to the document as it now stands, and the area was given over to the creation of a dedicated artists in residence space at Arthurs Head under the managership of a Arts organisation (ie.Artsource) it would lead over time to the removal of prominent arts businesses and all of the artists, and historical groups who are now operating from this area. The successful arts businesses who currently operate from this area and who contribute to both the cultural and financial success of Fremantle would be lost from Fremantle for ever. The document titled the “Cultural Development Working Group” with the section that pertains to the Arthur’s Head precinct is under researched and its strategies are non inclusive and poorly resolved. It is not a suitable document to use as a reference point for any recommendations for this area.

Note: I wish to point out the definition of artist in residence is as follows.

“ The specifics vary from program to program, but basically an artist-in-residence usually means you're given somewhere to live and a studio to work in for a set period of time, sometimes a stipend too (some money to live on). A residency can last anywhere from a week to a year. ”

by Marion Boddy-Evans, About.com Guide.


Link: Cultural Development Working Group-City of Fremantle

Peter Zuvela

References

  1. ^ British Library Direct
  2. ^ Greg James-www.jahroc.com.au
    • "Greg James has established himself as a leading Western Australian figurative sculptor. His numerous public sculptures have become landmarks throughout Perth and Fremantle. These highly skilled works are made in a variety of materials including steel, plaster and bronze."
  3. ^ Australian Ceramics Volume 45 No. 3 - Nov 2006 Focus Western Australia
  4. ^ Photographic Courses www.peterzuvela.com
  5. ^ www.photographytravel.net
  6. ^ Fremantle Art Centre (tutors) www.fac.org.au
  7. ^ City of Fremantle-Cultural Development Working Group The members were Cr Tim Grey-Smith, Cr Josh Wilson, Mayor Brad Pettitt (ex-officio), Chris Bendall, David Hyams, Jon Cope, Andra Kins, Jacqueline Holmer and Bob Reece.

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