Contributions to the 6th AICCM Book, Paper & Photographic Materials Symposium. 17-19th November 2010, Melbourne. p77-82
Abstract
The history of art paper supply in Melbourne encompasses the collective stories of artists, suppliers and paper mills based in Australia and overseas. In the late 1930’s, when the range of papers available to Melbourne artists was just beginning to expand, World War II abruptly interrupted supplies. The end of the war saw the rebirth of the industry at the hands of returned serviceman, Norman Kaye when he opened Camden Art Centre in 1948. The 1960’s saw a number of new suppliers emerge including N.S. Eckersley’s Pty Ltd, Art Stretchers and Graeme Brown Papers Pty Ltd. These enterprises brought with them new papers including the Arches range from France but as was the case throughout the 19th and early 20th Century, most of the paper available was designed specifically for watercolourists. Melbourne Etching Supplies was founded in the 1970’s with a vision to service the diverse needs of Melbourne’s printmakers, including providing them with a range of interesting and high quality papers. The choice of printmaking papers available to local artists expanded once again in the 1980’s when printmaker Robert Jones became the Australian agent for Magnani Papers. By the 1990’s a vast array of art paper was available to Melbourne artists in a kaleidoscope of colours and paper choice became more about personal preference than availability.