In 1973, when John and Vivienne Woodruffe started Studio Art Supplies, shopping for anything, let alone art materials, was very different from today.
Weekend trading was forbidden for most retail, and strict import licences limited what we could buy.
As a graphic artist who had trained in London under Bob Gil, John was determined to make specialist art materials available here – made locally wherever possible. They set up store in Takapuna before moving to Parnell in 1974, offering locally made easels, enlarging machines, airbrush compressors and spray booths, alongside now extinct products like Letraset and Bull Gum.
While searching for extra-fine gouache colours, John came across Schmincke, a German family company making high-quality artist paints since 1881. When the owner, Peter Hesse, visited the store in 1986, there was an immediate, personal connection and artists were delighted with Schmincke’s unique watercolours, pastels, liquid acrylics and resin-oil colours.
The success of dealing directly with Schmincke opened the door for other trusted German brands like da Vinci Brushes (1991) and Hahnemühle Fine Papers (1993). This focus on fine art materials became crucial in the 1990s as commercial art switched almost overnight to new digital technologies.
Studio Art Supplies, with sons Garnham and Evan also involved, backed up these brands with product demonstrations, award sponsorships and mail order around the country.
While Evan stretched their first custom canvas for Dick Frizzell in 1987, the elevation of this important painting support came in 2002 with Dean Tercel, who developed the Golden Lotus Monkey Grip for super-tight canvases.
The move to 35 Crummer Road, Grey Lynn (2008) then provided Dean with the space to stretch giant canvases, using aluminium as well as locally made wood stretchers.
John and Vivienne retired in 2007, and the store joined the Gordon Harris family who, along with Evan, maintained the store’s distinctive approach. Now celebrating the 50th Anniversary, Michael, Dean, Patrick, Sophie, Richard and Evan continue to grow the culture of New Zealand’s longest-serving art store.
EVAN WOODRUFFE, Studio Art Supplies
www.studioart.co.nz
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Published: 31 July 2023