Exhibition comes close to home

Furniture-maker Greg Betts with one of his hand-crafted chairs .Photo/Bevan Conley

Furniture maker Greg Betts' home is a work of art in itself.

Mr Betts lives and works at Bricksticks, an old brickworks on Georgetti Rd, which he has converted into a home and studio.

In late March, Bricksticks will be converted again into a busy hub of artistic activity, as nine artists and two musicians base themselves there for the Artists Open Studios Whanganui event.

Held on March 22-23 and 29-30, Open Studios offers members of the public the opportunity to see artists at work in their studios and to buy their work.

"I think it will be fun for the public to see a variety of things happening here," Mr Betts said.

This is the third year Bricksticks has taken part in Open Studios, with 600 people visiting last year. Mr Betts said he was "blown away" by people's reaction to the building. "It's a bit strange at first to have people wandering around your home, but it's actually a lot of fun. A lot of people said they used to play in the ruins of the brickworks when they were kids."

The brick works closed in 1959 and were left abandoned until Mr Betts bought the property in 1986.

He's been living rough in the building ever since while he gradually does it up.

Mr Betts said he was inspired to take on the old brickworks by his architect friends in Wellington.

"If I hadn't seen what they were doing with old buildings, I probably wouldn't have had the cheek to do this. It's been a massive operation." Mr Betts is a self-taught furniture maker with nearly 40 years' experience.

He makes a variety of furniture but is best known for his chairs, which range from simple bar stools to beautifully elaborate rocking chairs.

As well as Mr Betts, the artists exhibiting at Bricksticks during Open Studios are: furniture-maker Chris Wilson [Wairoa], multi-media artists Alan Wehipeihana and Dianna Fary [Paekakariki], flax weaver Mere Keating [Wanganui], printmaker Bruce Philipps [Wanganui], chair maker John Hickey [Wanganui], furniture maker Peter Russell [Wanganui] and painter Tim Minnel [Wanganui].

Songsmith and guitarist David Chadwick from Peka Peka will perform at Bricksticks March 22-23, and instrument-maker and guitarist Paddy Burgin, from Wellington, will perform on March 29.

Mr Betts said each artist would have their own section of the building to work and exhibit in.

For the full programme, see www.openstudios.co.nz