I’m no tarot reader, but I own a set of artist-designed tarot cards. Two of the cards have Moomin characters on them: Justice and The Empress. They bring me a lot of joy.
I bought them from an artist called Skye Saxon, who designed her fortune-telling deck under her alter ego Madame Witch, a mystic oracle who can tell you who you are and where you’re going – all via a QR code on one of the cards.
Saxon is one of Studio A’s longstanding artists. Her practice is supported by a team of people who help Saxon and her friends earn money from their art, including receiving commissions and licensing intellectual property. The social enterprise was set up in 2016 by CEO and artistic director Gabrielle Mordy and principal artist Emma Johnston.
Johnston is at the studio when I visit. She’s also known as “Woody Tiger” – a nickname given to her by another prolific Studio A artist, Thom Roberts. Roberts gives me a nickname too: “Toy Story 3”. I’m honoured.
The four-time Archibald Prize finalist often includes pop culture references in his art, including Pixar and Looney Tunes characters. This year his portrait of Ken Done, or “Big Bamm-Bamm” as the artist calls him, was selected for the Archibald Prize. You can buy, lease or license a number of his works on Studio A’s website. My favourite is Ice Cream Faces, which is for sale for $1100, or in notebook form for $15.
Revenue from all of Studio A’s artworks goes back to the artists, providing them with financial independence and professional growth. Another in-demand artist at Studio A (and there are many) is Emily Crockford, who has created grand public artworks for the likes of the City of Sydney and Sydney Metro, and she’s a longtime collaborator with Australiana artist Rosie Deacon. A four-time Archibald finalist, Crockford is drawn to colour and the natural world. Her designs can be found on tea towels, like this Koala and Emu one for $35.
Studio A recently revamped its website, making it easier to browse the creations by artist, medium or subject. You can also see upcoming events and exhibitions, such as Cementa24 in Kandos, New South Wales, featuring artists Catherine McGuiness (who painted Kylie Kwong for the 2023 Archibald Prize) and Damian Showyin (whose watercolour marker painting Archways, $290, is like a hypercolour stained glass window).
Another Archibald finalist in the team is Meagan Pelham. Her desk is piled high with sketches and paintings of her signature lovebird icons. Pelham is a diehard romantic and, in the past, she’s embraced her love for love in a collaboration with fashion designers Romance Was Born. She’s currently working on conversation-starter cards for a dating event. In Studio A’s online store, you can buy one of her original works, Sparkles Green, Special Power, for $310.
As a fan of Studio A’s output for many years, I’m a little starstruck to meet so many artists in one visit. Adam Mandarano, a productive weaver at Studio A, shows me his fuschia handwoven cushion covers ($70) and loom-woven table runners ($120). He jokes he’s been told not to make any more until they’ve sold a few. I can see boxes of Mandarano’s textiles ready to ship, and when his tactile table mats hit the site, I’ll be first in line for a set.
There are plenty of similarly joyful gifts in-store, including felted puppets made in collaboration with artists in Nepal, and books conceived by comic artist Greg Sindel, who makes graphic novels at a speed that could outwrite Frank Miller’s back catalogue. His drawings, like The Hunchback of Notre Dame Meets Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde!!, are for sale or lease for around $400.
If Studio A’s online shop wasn’t already on your radar, it should be. You’ll find humour and heart in more than 100 artworks for sale, and every item makes for a truly memorable gift. Speaking of memorable, before I leave, Saxon offers me an in-person card reading. She pulls the Wheel of Fortune, the Tower, the Wolf and the Star. It’s a good outlook, she tells me. And I feel very fortunate for my little art purchase all those years ago. Her tarot cards are still available online, for a very tempting $32.
