Teenage Sculptor Charlie Guiver Prepares for Public Studio Debut in Margaret River

Before Dunsborough teenager Charlie Guiver could walk, his parents were teaching him to use his own electric drill.

The 14-year-old has since honed his craft as a sculptor using scrap metal, recently selling one of his pieces, a large wolf sculpture, for $8,000.

Juggling school and homework, he spends all his spare time on weekends and evenings beavering away on his animal creations.

"It's just fun going into the workshop and cutting up tools and then fitting them into place, a bit like a puzzle," he said.

Charlie sources his materials from local salvage yards to create the sculptures, with his favourite 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.

Opening studio to public

Charlie will offer the public a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his creative process, opening his shed studio for the first time as part of the Margaret River Region Open Studios event.

He is the youngest artist to participate in the show, which is the largest of its kind in the country with 155 artists opening their doors for two weeks from September 12.

Charlie said his 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 said he has always been interested in taking apart and re-making toys and is "very proud" of his artwork.

"It's hard to reconcile the age he is because he comes out and does these amazing things," she said.

End of an era

As Charlie prepares to share his studio for the first time, it will be the last time Margaret River glass artist Gerry Reilly will open his studio to the public.

Having operated as an open studio seven days a week since 1991 and participating in the region's open studio event since its inception 13 years ago, it is with mixed feelings he prepares to close the kiln.

"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.

"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."

He said 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," he said.

Meanwhile for the artists, Reilly said it 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.