Creative expression, is it fuelled by hundreds of hours of training? Thousands of dollars in materials? Pain, purpose, and paint? Or is it sitting in a cosy space and playing with a medium that brings you joy in any small way? From legendary artistry, to lovely homecrafts, the space and tools we use to create tell their own story.
Fay Plamka Caulfield, 1993. Photo by John Hinds. This item is in copyright; H2023.120/32 and H2023.120/33
John Hinds, an artist, photographer and active ROAR member from 1986 to 19921 spent time capturing artists he personally knew and the spaces that they used to create their works. His photographs captured a unique and often unseen time and place, creating an invaluable insight into the art scene in Melbourne.
David Slattery ROAR Studios Fitzroy (1989?). Photo by John Hinds. This item is in copyright; H2023.120/12 and H2023.120/13
John Hinds gifted his collection of Melbourne artist portraits to State Library Victoria in 2023. His portraits depict painters, ceramic artists and sculptors in their studios, with each artist having both a portrait in their workspace, and a still-life showing their tools, and supplies, giving insight into their process.
Mark Stoner Caravan Sculpt. Richmond (colour negative on mount, with contact print), 1988. Photo by John Hinds. This item is in copyright; H2023.120/10 and H2023.120/11
ROAR was an artist co-operative started in 1982 and was both a studio and art gallery space at 115A Brunswick Street, in Fitzroy. The collective’s goal was to offer an alternative to the existing gallery system that could refuse to exhibit art based on the artists gender, race, or age. ROAR worked to highlight art created by women, Indigenous Australians, young people and those with diverse cultural backgrounds. 2
Geraldine Burke ROAR, 1987. Photo by John Hinds. This item is in copyright; H2023.120/6 and H2023.120/7
Portrait photographs were taken beyond the ROAR studios and include artists from across St Kilda, Caulfield, Clifton Hill, and artists from Caravan Sculptors Richmond. The insightful collection of photographs has recently been digitised by State Library Victoria and are now available to view online.
Charles Anderson Nth Fitzroy, 1989. Photo by John Hinds. This item is in copyright; H2023.120/18 and H2023.120/19
The collection includes photos of those pictured here as well as Bruce Armstrong, Dimitri Cherepanov, Tom Spender Posterhaus Smith, David Waltho, Rod McLeish, Nicole Wassell, Peter Gandrabur, Stephen McCarthy, David Band, Michael Pierce, Anne Pincus, Chris Saunders, John Baird and The Naughty See Monkey.
Brigid Courtney ROAR studios Fitzroy, 1992. Photo by John Hinds. This item is in copyright; H2023.120/22 and H2023.120/23
In addition to the artist portraits and still lifes that open the door on the Melbourne art scene, John Hinds also gifted the library photographs showing attendees at ROAR Gallery openings. Including the ‘ROAR 82-83 Now‘ exhibition on the 26th of May 1992, and the opening of ‘Count to Ten‘, ROAR 2 Gallery held on the 16 June 1992, which marked ten years of ROAR Gallery. Many well-known artists, and Fitzroy locals were photographed holding identifying name cards.
References
All photographs by John Hinds, and are in copyright.
- Hinds J (2018) ‘John Hinds BIO‘, AriRemix [website], accessed 11 October 2025.
- Allen T (2008) ‘Roar Studios‘, eMelbourne [website], accessed 25 September 2025.
