Jasper Quartz Niho

Kia ora! I’m always excited about my carving projects, but a recent commission held a unique energy. A client entrusted me with a magnificent piece of brecciated jasper quartz that they’d found on their own land in the North Island. This wasn’t pounamu, but the stone’s raw beauty and its connection to their whenua (land) made it a true taonga in spirit.

The jasper quartz was breathtaking – deep earthy reds intertwined with streaks of blue and shimmering veins of golden quartz. It was also incredibly hard, even more so than pounamu, yet prone to unexpected fractures as you can see. Handling it was an exploration – I had to carefully break and cut it to reveal if a suitable piece for a large taonga was hidden within.

My client wanted a taonga from this stone, but the design itself was entrusted to me. It’s always an honor when someone puts that faith in me! Yet, this felt different. Usually, I start with a vision inspired by traditional forms. This time, the jasper quartz demanded a different approach.

I studied its fractured patterns, the contrasting colors, and the unpredictable lines of quartz. Slowly, the form of a niho emerged – a shark tooth shape symbolic of strength, determination, and guardianship. It felt like the stone itself dictated the design, and my role was to uncover what it wanted to be.

The carving process was as much a challenge as it was a meditation. The hardness of the jasper quartz tested my tools and demanded patience. Yet, those deep red sections and the flashes of blue and gold inspired me to push on. You can see some of this journey in the images below: the rough stone, the potential shapes I explored, and the niho carving in progress.

This taonga is more than a piece of jewelry; it’s an embodiment of place. It holds the energy of the North Island soil where it formed countless years ago. Now, shaped and polished, it carries that energy and the client’s unique connection to their land.

This jasper quartz experience reminded me of the power of collaboration – with the stone itself, and with the person who holds its story. Sometimes the greatest beauty emerges when we allow ourselves to be guided by the materials we work with and the spirit they contain.

Let me know if you’d like to discuss a special project! Contact me here.