Celebrating the John Drawbridge Print Studio 2025

More than three decades after helping to establish Inverlochy’s printmaking studio, artist John Drawbridge has been formally honoured by the school with the naming of the John Drawbridge Print Studio.

A celebrated artist and seminal tutor, John taught at Inverlochy during the 1990s, leading a close-knit collective of printmakers who worked regularly in the studio, now proudly bearing his name. As a driving force behind the studio’s founding in the late 1980s, he not only helped set up the space but also organised the import of one of the printing presses still in use today.

We celebrated the naming in style with a special evening at the school, warmly attended by current members of the Inverlochy community, as well as John’s former students, close friends, and whānau, including his wife, renowned sculptor Tanya Ashken, and her son, Tony and daughter-in-law, Sarah. Their other son, Cameron, couldn’t make it as he’s now exploring his creative side overseas.

The celebration took place in our Lecture Hall, where prints gifted by John and fellow members of the printmaking collective in 1995 were displayed on long tables running the length of the room. The event also coincided with the closing night of our annual Inverlochy Collective exhibition in the IAS Community Gallery. Guests enjoyed a relaxed evening moving between the two spaces, catching up over drinks while taking in the artwork.

The dedication itself was a warm, communal affair. Guests sat facing one another in a large circle that spilled into the alcove. Inverlochy Director, Cheryl Corrado opened the evening with an introduction to John’s life and work, playfully presented through 10 fun facts; which saw guests around the hall stand up to share pre-prepared insights. One memorable highlight was a quote from the press release for his 2002 solo exhibition Wide Open Interior at City Gallery Wellington:

“Not only has his work sold for more than David Hockney. Not only has he won the same international award as Picasso. Not only is his work in the collections of the V&A, the British Museum, and MoMA New York. He’s also incredibly well bred. (John Drawbridge, born Wellington, 1930.)”

Following Cheryl’s introduction, others took the floor to share personal memories of working with or learning from John. Among them were former students and fellow Print Collective artists Rosemary Mortimer and Basia Smolnicki. Speakers reflected on John’s profound influence as both an artist and mentor—his generosity, quiet encouragement, and unwavering commitment to creative growth. He often reminded students to “paint a bad picture” as a way to explore the unknown and discover something new.

With good-natured humour, Tony Drawbridge shared memorable reflections on his father, describing the passion and sheer mahi John poured into everything he created. He fondly recalled watching him spend months preparing mezzotint plates, painstakingly roughening their surfaces, while assuring Tony it would all be worth it to achieve the deepest possible blacks.

As the evening drew to a close, Tanya Ashken unveiled the new plaque, that now marks the John Drawbridge Print Studio, to warm applause.

A central figure in Aotearoa’s art scene, John Drawbridge is remembered not only as a painter, printmaker, and muralist, but as a pillar of Wellington’s creative landscape. He lived most of his life in Island Bay with Tanya and maintained enduring relationships with local institutions. This was evident in the wonderful turn-out on Friday night.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the Drawbridge whānau—Tanya, Tony, and Cameron—for their generous donation of John’s prints in support of our fundraising efforts, and for their collaboration in making this tribute possible. We are proud to carry forward John’s legacy and are currently working towards the establishment of an artist residency in his name.

* Artist's included in this collection are John Drawbridge, Kristen Peren, Basia Smolnicki, Michele Bryant, Jenny Murray, Simon Sherning, Cindy Flook, Eleanor Whyle, Margaret Elliot and Rosemary Mortimer. Barbara Schmeizer created the custom made case for the prints and Sydney Shep created the embossed cover print for the collection.