Welcome to Agave Print Studio.
Dianne opened Agave Print Studio in November 2014 to coincide with the Daylesford Macedon Ranges Open Studios event. Agave Print Studio offers workshops for printmakers, studio access and residencies, printmaking collaborations, editioning services and accommodation.
The 1970s A-frame situated in picturesque Trentham is a wonderful studio space, with large windows, excellent light and professional printmaking facilities for intaglio and relief printmaking and letterpress printing. Dianne’s vision is to create a fantastic studio for printmakers, with comfortable accommodation in a beautiful rural setting. Visitors staying at Agave can harvest fruit and vegetables from the garden. Wombat Forest is a short walk away, as are the local shops.
Workshops
Dianne has taught numerous workshops in Australia and overseas. A range of workshops are offered and you can customise the dates and number of your friends or colleagues for your chosen workshop.
One-to-one tuition
If you would like to learn particular technique/s you can book time to work with Dianne on an hourly or daily rate. Make a booking by contacting Dianne to work on new techniques or a combination of printmaking processes.
Collaborations
Collaborate with Dianne to produce prints for exhibitions, personal projects or artist books. Collaborations and mentorships provide an opportunity for new techniques and shared input.
Residencies
Short-term residencies in a beautiful rural setting are offered for printmaking, creative writing or thesis editing in a beautiful rural area. Limited distractions but great shops, cafes and the forest only a few minutes walk away.
Studio access
Agave Print Studio has professional facilities for intaglio and relief printing, letterpress, monoprinting and specialist photopolymer printmaking equipment.
Mentorships
Dianne has entered into numerous mentorship projects in Adelaide and at Agave Print Studio. Mentorships are usually funded by grants and have goals and outcomes.
Editioning
Agave Print Studio offers editioning services. Intaglio and relief plates/blocks can be editioned, or you can collaborate with Dianne to produce plates as well.
Safer printmaking
Agave Print Studio promotes a safe work environment. Citrus solvent and eucalyptus are used as substitutes for mineral turpentine. They are environmentally friendly and can be used to oil-based inks.
New book in progress
In 1998 Dianne published ‘Printmaking with Photopolymer Plates’, a book about working with photopolymer plates (solarplates). Dianne is working on a totally new book.
Printmaking blog
Find information on Dianne’s research into photopolymer printmaking and pick up general printmaking and studio tips.
Gift Voucher
Buy a gift voucher for a friend, family member or colleague for a workshop or one-on-one tuition or an artwork of their choice.
Enjay Presses
Dianne is the contact person for Enjay Presses in the Victorian Goldfields area, and has an Enjay press at her studio in Trentham if you would like to test-run a print!
Agave Print Studio is easy to find (see the maps on the Contact page). The A-frame studio is surrounded by a beautiful garden with produce gardens other areas of flowers and shrubs which are a work in progress.
The name Agave Print Studio was inspired by the array of Agave plants which grow in a remarkable range of terrains and climates. Agaves were the source of many essential items; including fibres for clothing, medicines, poisons for arrowheads, building materials and food. The Agave provided so many essential materials that it became known as El Arbol de las Maravillas (The Tree of Wonders).
The Agave species can survive on very little and produces beautiful flowers. It only flowers at the end of its long life and after flowering the plant dies but produces suckers or shoots from its base, which continue its growth.