New Whale Tail

I've just created this stunning new New Zealand (native) tawhairaunui (red beech) whale tail. It's available from me directly at the moment, but I'll probably put it into a gallery some time. It's about a metre high.

30,000 year old swamp kauri manaia

I have just finished this manaia out of 30,000 year old swamp kauri. Swamp kauri is our "bogwood". As a timber it is normally very bland, but put it in the swamps for a few thousand years, and the minerals leech into it giving it these amazing rich colours and showing up the grain. This is made from root wood, so makes it even more so.  A manaia is a spiritual guardian. It has the head of a bird, the body of a man, and the tail of a fish, so has guardianship over air, land and water. 

                                               

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I've done a couple of manaias lately, one in wood, and one in jade. The wood one is made from a stunning Tawhairaunui (New Zealand red beech) burr (burl). The jade one is made from a stunning piece of highly prized New Zealand Marsden flower jade. Manaias are a traditional Maori design, representing spiritual guardians. They have the head of a bird, the body of a man, and the tail of a fish, so are protectors over sky, earth and sea. They guide and protect you, like a guide sitting on your shoulder. They guide and protect you, like a guide sitting on your shoulder. I'll put up some photos. Hope you like them :-)

New Marsden flower jade manaia

I've just carved this amazing manaia made from New Zealand Marsden flower jade - in my opinion the best jade in the world! It sits on a red beech (NZ native - Maori name Tawhairaunui), and stands at 173mm high. For sale.

NEW JADE/GREENSTONE/POUNAMU DISC

I've just finished this beautiful New Zealand greenstone/jade/pounamu disc, made from top quality Marsden jade, with a red beech (Tawhairaunui) burr bade. On the base, it measures approx. 200mm high. The disc itself is approx. 180mm circumference. Stunning! :-)

Exhibition at the Hastings Visitor Information Centre

I have an exhibition of some of my NZ wood and jade carvings at the Hastings Visitor Information Centre throughout March 2013. The large disc is swamp kauri with a Marsden flower jade insert. The greenstone/jade/pounamu carvings are all Marsden flower jade with a red beech (Tawhairaunui) base. The upright one is red beech Uenuku, a rainbow God and there is also a re beech burr bowl with a paua insert, and a red beech matau with a muka cord and pounamu sinker.

HUGE burr matau for Kura Auckland

I recently dropped off this huge Tawhairaunui (red beech) burr matau to Kura Gallery in Auckland. It's the biggest burr I've ever found. Muka (rope) cord with pounamu sinker. see it at Kura Gallery, Lower Albert St., Auckland. Ph (09) 302 1151 :-)
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Marsden jade frog

This Marsden jade frog was carved by my daughter Natasha. She works for me part time now. Normally I design and carve them, and then hand them to her for the polishing. However, this one she designed, carved, and polished it all herself. pretty good eh? For sale for $350.

MANAIA MANIA

I recently felt inspired to carve some Manaia. The wood one I haven't started carving, the one in my hand is roughed out but needs finishing, and the pendant is finished.

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