Haeata Community Campus has just got their Pounamu carving space up and running, and I got a chance to have a go. Got to know some great people through this space and it felt right to give these pendants to those people as well as to support the kaupapa of the Makerspace at Haeata. The…
This was a challenging commission. To make a pounamu pipe for a Grandfather. It is made from Pounamu found in the Kaniere stream area in the hills behind Hokitika. [kad_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNMJa0nTLCU” ] It started with the idea in clay. With four korus to represent members of his family. Seeing what a pounamu carving starts as,…
The downward triangle of this design represents femininity and womanhood. It is a strong symbol that symbolises the Mana and authority of a significant person or Mana Wahine. This piece has found a home with someone very special to me. Every now and then we realise that there are significant people in our lives. I…
This is a piece that I was really keen to make. It is for a teacher who is passionate about education and committed to lifelong learning. Education is one of the important areas of work that I have focused on in my short life and to make this for another teacher is special. The piece…
This is a set made for a couple that are both having a 21st this year. Two pendants that are connected by the shared designs and meaning that they hold. The design represent them and their child. Simple, effective and meaningful.
This is a collaboration with a customer to create a Roimata with a masculine wairua. The meaning of the Roimata is comfort, healing, and positive energy. As this is intended for someone where these things are appropriate. The Pounamu is from the Kaniere area, and as you can see is a striking layered pattern. It…
This feather is based on the idea of the Native Americans Bald Eagle Feather that is so precious to that culture. There are many aspects to the the shape of a feather that I have come to appreciate through carving this. No part is symmetrical. The jade this is made of is from the Yukon…
Individually each of these pendants is called Ako, together as a set they are called Akonga. This Pounamu (also Jade, often called greenstone) is all sourced from the South Island of New Zealand. Ako is to learn, study, instruct, teach, advise. Akonga usually means student, however, in this context it is used as ‘a collection of…
This is a special story. These two taonga were made for two beautiful twin. Their Grandmother contacted me with the commision. She told me a story of two gorgeous twin babes born 12 weeks premature, they were lucky to survive. Their first birthday was coming up and she wanted to gift them something to commemorate…
I was given this piece of obsidian from a friend that was on a rock climbing trip down to Taupo. He said he noticed all the pebbles on the beach and wondered if it could make a good carving stone. I never thought I would use something like obisidian to make a pendant from. I…