Marton Barber's Art Gallery combines business and pleasure

Lise and John Archbold outside the new gallery and barber shop in Wellington Rd. Photo/Bevan Conley

More light, more space, more visitors and a giant lemon tree in the backyard.

It is a dream come true for Marton Barber's Art Gallery owners John and Lise Archbold and their co-owner Lynley Means.

The combined businesses were previously housed in a smaller, darker premises in High St until the new space in Wellington Rd came up for lease.

"The rent is cheaper too," says John.

The Archbolds have been sharing space with barber Ms Means for three years now and they say the collaboration continues to work well.

"Lynley wanted to work part-time and so did we," says John.

"Now her clients get to see the artwork reflected in the big mirror while they have their hair cut."

With light pouring in through the big front windows, Ms Means has plenty of light to work in and John has his easel set up to work on the other side of room.

John's paintings and Lise's fabric art along with works by Don Hill, Pauline Allomes, Craig Hooker, Gaye Downing, Julie Oliver, Desiree Singer and others grace the walls and shelves leaving plenty of room for visitors to walk around.

"We have a lot more people dropping in since we moved in last week," says Lise.

John has even painted a canvas curtain with a Van Gogh-like scene to cover the kitchen doorway.

As a member of Fine Arts Whanganui and the Whanganui Visual Arts Symposium Trust, John's "retirement" to Marton is anything but quiet although he says he has no complaints about that.