Teen sculptor joins Margaret River Region Open Studios

A 14-year-old boy from Dunsborough has become the youngest artist to take part in the Margaret River Region Open Studios event, which showcases the creative talents of local artists. Charlie Guiver, a talented sculptor, will open his studio to the public for the first time, offering a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process.

Charlie's love affair with sculpting began at a very young age. Before he could walk, his parents were teaching him to use his own electric drill. Since then, he has honed his craft using scrap metal to create intricate animal sculptures. One of his pieces, a large wolf sculpture, recently sold for $8,000.

When asked about his creative process, Charlie said, "It's just fun going into the workshop and cutting up tools and then fitting them into place, a bit like a puzzle." He spends all his spare time on weekends and evenings working on his animal creations in his Dunsborough studio.

Charlie sources his materials from local salvage yards to create his sculptures. His favourite piece is a kinetic eagle which he designed to swing with the wind. "Before I start a sculpture, I know how I'm going to make it in my head, then I just go out and find the tools and weld it all together," he said.

The Margaret River Region Open Studios event is the largest of its kind in the country, with 155 artists opening their doors for two weeks from September 12. Charlie's participation in the event is a significant milestone, as he is the youngest artist to do so.

Charlie's dream is to travel to Europe with his older brother to learn about traditional blacksmithing techniques. "I don't know if it will ever be a career but I will always do it as a hobby," he said.

His mother, Kath Guiver, expressed her pride in Charlie's artwork, saying, "It's hard to reconcile the age he is because he comes out and does these amazing things."

The event also marks the end of an era for Margaret River glass artist Gerry Reilly, who has been operating his open studio seven days a week since 1991. This will be his last time participating in the region's open studio event, which he has been a part of since its inception 13 years ago.

Gerry Reilly uses a kiln heated to 1,100 degrees Celsius for his glass creations. "I'm at an area in my career now where I've made objects and studied for 50 years and I might step back from it a little bit for a while and just see what else evolves into that space," he said.

Reilly expressed mixed feelings about closing his kiln, saying, "I'm kind of looking forward to having a break, but I've also got some trepidation about what I'm going to do with my time next."

The event attracts people to the Margaret River region from across the state and the country to learn about the skills involved in glass blowing. "If people just see your stuff in the gallery, they might wonder how it's done. But here they can see and explore it themselves," Reilly said.

For the artists, the event is an important opportunity to present their work and boost sales after the quieter winter period. Last year, the event attracted more than 100,000 studio visits and generated more than $2 million in art sales. The event runs until September 27.