Maggie Stein is a Sydney based artist and printmaker working from her studio in an artist’s warehouse a short bike ride from her home near the centre of Sydney. Maggie’s main area of focus is lino printing, with side projects involving collage, drawing, and assemblage. Alongside her independent printmaking practice, she also teaches art in a local primary school part time.
Born in the regional New South Wales, Maggie was drawn to creativity from a young age. She tells us; “Early memories include being captivated by motes of dust and getting lost in the intricate ceiling patterns whilst lying in bed. I was allowed to bake from an early age which gave me an appreciation of ‘process’, something that is a strong component of my practice now. My childhood was marked by my mother’s death (from breast cancer} when I was 13 yrs old. Even then my ability to be in my own world and to use my hands helped me cope with these traumatic events.”
Maggie attended the City Art Institute in Sydney from 1985 until 1987 a few years after finishing school. After art school she spent a year overseas (including studio time at The Print Workshop in Edinburgh in 1989) and then returned to Sydney and continued her art practice coupled with studying art education. From the mid 1990s her energy was put into raising three children with her partner which she says “limited my own artistic endeavours”.
Since 2004, Maggie has focused on lino printing. She describes; “At that time it seemed like an accessible medium as I started making prints again on our kitchen table”. The response she received from those early prints hugely influenced Maggie to reconnect with printmaking, and she became fascinated with trying to capture the patina of the ageing facades of her beloved King Street, Newtown and beyond.
These days, Maggie really appreciates the balance she has in her life; “I’m a part time art specialist in a primary school, I have regular solo and group shows and give workshops in my studio. Before I start my work day I swim laps or do yoga practice. I may have coffee and catch up with friends and I get to the studio by mid morning. I’m usually working on one image at a time (unless I’m preparing for a show) so I may do carving then some test printing through the day. I’m most focused and in the zone when I follow these rituals, carving the lino becomes a meditative experience. I have a grown up family so I now spend four days at my studio, two days teaching and try and have Sundays off.”
Maggie’s tools of choice include Pfiel and Flexcut carving tools to create marks on the lino, and Cranfield ink for editioning her prints. While she does own a 12 x 18 inch book binding press, Maggie prefers to print by hand using a ball bearing baren on Hosho paper. Lately, she has been enjoying playing with prints by cutting them up and rearranging them into new pieces. She explains; “For a long time I have made editions of prints and sold online, through shows and my own studio. I’m finding I’m moving towards smaller, varied editions and printing more on demand as it seems crazy to make and store so many prints.” Maggie has created a range of greeting cards that are popular locally, and has printed a few of her images on T- shirts and tea towels.
Her standard working practice begins with photographing her subject, reversing the image, then drawing it onto the lino with white ink. Through carving, Maggie creates negative lines and marks that portray textures. She comments; “I’m so excited when I feel I discover a fresh mark which can communicate the essence of a surface or add to the atmosphere in a work. Mark making is like a language to me and I love finding fresh marks to add to my visual vocabulary. I get the most satisfaction from working on a large scale, but also love the challenge of colour reduction prints.”
Maggie’s current body of work is titled Disappearing Traders. These pieces celebrate iconic, long running, or closed down businesses amidst an ever changing city. Currently, she is also experimenting with using her printed papers to create sculptural forms, and is excited to explore this further through collaborations with other artists.
Alongside selling her work online through her own website and Art Pharmacy, Maggie also regularly partakes in exhibitions. Her current show is on at the Corner Gallery Stanmore, NSW.
She concludes; “I have had a dream to operate an open access studio for a long time but mainly I teach my small classes and I do love passing on that knowledge. So many people have very little creativity in their lives and I honestly believe that we all need avenues for expressing our unique selves to thrive in this world.”
@stein_press
www.maggiestein.com.au
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