House full of workshops:

In outside sheds there was a metal workshop and a woodwork shop. The one front room in the house was the office / printing room, much like my current office, with a room opposite with more table space to work on for finishing (trimming, weeding vinyl, etc.).

The main workroom, in the middle of the house, was what I used to call the lounge (almost as a joke, as there was no lounge furniture to relax on). Years before, when Colin's folks lived there, it was the dining room as it was nearest the kitchen. In the 'pantry' just off the kitchen we stored all the spray paints, and had a heavy-duty electric paper guillotine (not the bigger one I have now).

This main workroom had a fully-kitted electronics corner for Colin, a painting corner for me, and heavy-duty central work tables. Here we did anything from mould making, resin casting, or whatever messy job needed to be done. Sometimes it was better to move the work outside if really messy, or for spray painting (open-air workshop).

The unused outside bathroom which housed the noisy air compressor for outside work, I converted to the "feather room", storing all my rows of feathers and craft market stuff, with the bath covered in shelving units, and a counter to work on under the window.

Workshop Life:

Radio companions buzzed cheerfully at each work station. We manufactured brass and resin trophies; got gritty with sandblasting and blackened ourselves with endless polishing and buffing. Weeks and weekends merged as we worked constantly – cutting and weeding vinyl lettering, making signage and creating yet another crazy prop, with a ridiculous deadline. The work was relentless, yet rewarding. Nothing was impossible. We also had lots of fun building models!

Immersed in projects, I had to use all my senses (including common sense!), while developing an instinctive feel for different materials – fibreglass and epoxy resin, plasticine, silicone rubbers, vinyl, ABS, Perspex, plastic, glass, brass, wood, wax, cardboard, leather, fabric, feathers, beads, wire, paper …  I learnt that working with different substrates requires sensitivity; each requires a different approach.

I worked in various applications: by hand, with tools and machinery – sandblasting, drilling and cutting (band saws, scroll saws, vinyl cutters, hot wire cutting and hand cutting). Also mould-making, casting, sanding, polishing, painting, staining, varnishing, sealing, sewing, gluing, stapling, binding, punching, printing, spray-painting … everything custom-designed and custom-made, with special attention to detail and most jobs with tight deadlines.

Our teamwork often resulted in me sculpting an original prototype, with Colin then making a mould and doing the casting. When he discovered I was good at mixing colours, he left the painting and detailing for me to finish.

In between all this, and with much encouragement, I went for weekly evening classes and learnt to paint in oils and watercolours.

I’ll always be grateful for this practical training.