Q&A: Melissa Jones
Following a strong hunch to move to Tasmania, this former high-school art teacher brought her vision for accessible creativity to a Battery Point studio - and now the whole community is welcome to make, experiment and play.
▼
Studio Selkie Founder Melissa Jones (image supplied)
Where did you grow up, and how did you end up at the bottom of the world?
I was born in Shepparton, but moved to Alice Springs where I had a wild and fun childhood - very much an 80s get-home-when-it's-dark vibe. We got up to all sorts! My mum, two sisters and I later moved to Western Australia when I was 10 years old.
In my 30s, I moved my own little family to the south west of Western Australia. Then, about three years ago, I had an incredibly strong feeling that we were meant to move to Tasmania, even though we had never visited. I flew to Tassie for three days to make sure I wasn't completely mental, went back and said, “Yep, we're definitely moving”, so my husband and son moved here without ever stepping foot on Tassie soil! Our older boy stayed in Western Australia for work. We miss him terribly, and fly him down here as much as possible.
You launched Studio Selkie, an art studio in Battery Point, earlier this year. What has your professional journey been up to this point?
I'm a high school art teacher, and like many teachers, I hit burnout. I loved being in the art room with students, but after years in the school system, that was pretty much all I enjoyed. While teaching, I retrained as an art therapist at Murdoch University with the intention of starting a private practice.
What inspired the creation of Studio Selkie, and what can visitors expect from their experience?
Studio Selkie came from my realisation that I wasn't ever going to open a therapeutic practice because I couldn't stand how much I'd have to charge clients to sustain a business. I thought a lot about the benefits of art-making and what prevents people from engaging with their creativity, and concluded three major hindrances: the cost of supplies, lack of space, and gatekeeping in many creative spaces.
A lot of people don't feel they belong in an art studio. Selkie pushes back against the blocks stopping people from having a play. I am acutely aware that a blank page can be very scary, but Selkie is a safe place to remember the joy in making something with your hands.
Visitors can come in, choose from a load of supplies, and engage in a few hours of art-making with zero pressure for it to be any "good". Some people come in with no idea what they want to do, and I'm happy to guide them. Some come in, put their headphones on, and lock into whatever they want to do that day. Some come with friends, their families, or a date. It’s very chill and welcoming, and there is something for everyone.
You can also purchase a half-day studio pass if you have your own supplies but lack studio space and want community, or come along to one of our Collage Hangs, held every second Friday night.
Collage Hangs at Studio Selkie (image supplied)
Why was it important for Hobart to have a space like this?
Hobart is an extremely creative city. There are amazing places running classes and workshops, but a drop-in art studio is very different. I think it's important to have third spaces designed for people to engage with their creative process.
Basically, my thinking was to set up the space and then see what the community needs. My dream for Selkie is that it becomes a creative hub offering all kinds of experiences.
Where do you go for your morning coffee, and who pours your favourite knock-off?
I love coffee from Ozus in Battery Point and Little Lotus in the city.
As for a tipple, I’m always happy with a knock-off beer at Manky Sally's or a Guinness at the New Sydney Hotel, and I adore the martinis at Gotham at The Still. I also have to give a shout-out to the staff at our local, Shippies, where I’ll never say no to a crisp local Pinot Grigio or a yummy Pinot Noir.
Where do you think does some of Tassie's best meals?
Boho at Kingston Beach does a fab breakfast, and brunch at Little Lotus is also a joy. I love a local lunch at Bar Wa or China Lanzhou Beef Noodle, or - if there’s time to go a bit further afield - Willie Smith’s Apple Shed or Hopfields Brewery.
For dinner, there are so many choices! Date night: Peppina; with a group: Lost in Asia; when you need a winter hug: Iroyuki Ramen Bar, awesome pub menu: Hope & Anchor and The Crescent. We also had a really yummy dinner at The Rice Corner the other night. I could go on and on ...
What are three must-dos for every visitor to Tasmania?
This is a terribly hard question to answer due to too many amazing choices! Besides a visit to Selkie, I'd say:
Pick a walk - any walk - and do it. We love the Crescent Bay walk that starts at Remarkable Caves. If you're near water, jump in! It's bloody freezing, but you always feel amazing after a cold plunge!
I'm finding it hard not to say Mona. It's such an obvious answer, but it really is world-class.
And book an Elsewhere Sauna at Drip Beach - it’s divine. Then grab some carrots and hummus at Cygnet Garden Larder - the best you'll ever have!
What does the perfect day off look like for you?
I have two versions. Sometimes I work seven days, so I dream of a full-day bed-rot: a good book (I'm currently reading The Names by Florence Knapp), binge-watching a whole series or a nostalgic movie on the laptop, and ordering Uber Eats because it's a PJs-all-day kind of day.
The less exhausted version still involves a late wake-up and a yummy coffee, but then I’ll get out for a walk, swim or both, drive out to The Dusty Mermaid to find a treasure, and have a picky lunch - a bit of this and a bit of that. By late afternoon, I’ll find a cute bar or a bookshop, and finish the day at a relaxed gig or the theatre. Insert either my husband or my bestie, and that’s an awesome day.
