Piet Binsbergen
Pieter Binsbergen (BA Fine Arts cum laude, MA painting, University of Pretoria) is a seasoned art instructor. In 1993 he became Head of the Department of Visual Art at the Pretoria Boys High School. In 2007 he was appointed Course Co-Ordinator for Arts Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria. He won several awards amongst others the ABSA Bank award for his contributions to the visual arts and art education. He was a finalist in both the ABSA Atelier and Sasol New Signatures art competitions and later also acted as member of the panel of judges for major art competitions. He is an acclaimed artist with a record of 14 hugely successful solo exhibitions. His works are included in public and private collections in South Africa and abroad. Some of them are hosted by corporations in Finland, America and England.
It is through his love for art that he discovered a passion for the briar some twenty years ago whilst at work in the studio. It was easier to clench a pipe as it becomes a hands-free exercise. After building a covered patio on the side of his house three years ago, and being gifted a Savinelli for Christmas by his wife, the briar pipe ventured outdoors. Whilst smoking on the patio Pieter decided to persue this passion with more vigour.
Having befriended David Peterson of "The Virtual Smoking Lounge" in Michigan, USA the two of them became close friends. David Peterson introduced Pieter to the world of pipe restoration and repair. Pieter spent two years in his spare time collecting old pipes from family members, friends and antique markets putting the theory of pipe craft and restoration into practise. He has since joined forces with Jean du Toit aka the ‘illustrious Jan Pietenpauw’ (the best pipe carver to come out of South Africa to date) who taught him all there is to know about pipes and pipe craft including spinning briar and pipe stems in a lathe. His success in the world of pipe restoration is largely owed to close bond and friendship he has forged with Jean du Toit.
A turning point came when Pieter’s Father gifted him a Myford ML7 lathe and turned his workshop in to a full restoration business.
Since then he has worked for some of the largest pipe collectors in the country.
Contact:
Piet Binsbergen P.O. Box 41402 Garsfontein East Pretoria 0060 South Africa E-mail: mailto:pietbinsbergen@gmail.com Phone: +27 12 9981090 +27 83 4575221 Website: [http//www.binsbergenpipes.co.za]