I’m Campbell Potter, a New Zealander of European descent living in Christchurch. I’ve spent the last ten years learning to carve Pounamu, alongside my work as a teacher. These days, I carve full time from my small workshop at home. I do everything myself—from finding and cutting the stone to shaping, polishing, lashing, and photographing each piece. For me, carving is about connection. Each taonga I make carries meaning, whether it’s a story, a memory, or something to anchor a moment in time. I create taonga to be worn, gifted, and passed on.
This 75mm Toki is carved from dark, almost black Serpentine Pounamu. Its deep tone gives it a strong, grounded presence, while subtle green gem-like inclusions catch the light when you look closely. Finished with a black lashing and cord, it is ready to wear. The Toki shape symbolises strength, determination, and resilience.
Hononga Tuku Iho celebrates connection carried across generations. This matching set includes an 80mm Roimata and an 80mm Toki, both carved from the same piece of deep green Kawakawa Pounamu. Sharing the same patterning and translucency, the two taonga remain connected through the stone from which they came. Finished with black lashings, they are a meaningful expression of connection between people, place, and whakapapa.
The Niho Taniwha design symbolises strength, guardianship, and the courage to stand firm in the face of challenge. Worn as a taonga, it represents the protective presence of a taniwha — a powerful kaitiaki that watches over the wearer and their journey through life.
This piece is carved from beautiful Inanga Kōkopu Pounamu, measuring 55mm long and an impressive 20mm thick, giving it a strong and grounding presence. The stone has a creamy pale green base with distinctive kōkopu patterning across the surface. A hidden lashing point through the top allows the taonga to sit cleanly on the cord while maintaining the bold, solid form of the carving.
This 60mm Classic Kawakawa Pounamu Toki is carved from deep green stone with rich natural variation throughout. The traditional proportions and clean lines give it a strong, timeless presence. Finished with a black lashing and cord, it is ready to wear. The toki form symbolises strength, leadership, and determination, making it a meaningful everyday taonga.
The Porohita represents unity, wholeness, and the cycles of life, symbolising deep connections to whānau, whakapapa, and the natural world. Carved from Kokopu Pounamu, this 60mm taonga embodies strength, resilience, and the enduring bonds that shape our lives.
SOLD
This 50mm Inanga Pounamu pendant features a beautifully carved koru, symbolising growth, new beginnings, and the cycles of life. The live edge on the back celebrates the stone’s natural origins, connecting its raw beauty with its crafted design. A meaningful taonga that honours both tradition and nature.
Māramatanga is a roimata made from highly translucent Kahurangi Pounamu. The name Māramatanga means clarity, understanding, and illumination, chosen to reflect how easily light passes through the stone, revealing its inner depth. This piece was shaped through tumbling in my workshop, giving the surface a natural texture and strong character, and is finished with a simple black lashing.
The niho, or tooth design, symbolises strength, protection, and determination — a reminder of resilience and the courage to face challenges. This Niho Kaha is carved from rich dark green Kawakawa Pounamu with a streak of the stone’s pale rind along one side. Measuring 85mm long, it features a three-hole ringbolt lashing in black with a four-braid cord.
SOLD
Pekapeka Kaitiaki is 80mm across, carved from Raukaraka Pounamu with pale green and orangey-gold tones. It features bold pāua inlaid eyes on both sides and hangs from a harakeke-coloured cord. This taonga symbolises guardianship, adaptability, and protection.
This 40mm Tangiwai Pounamu Mārama has a silky feel and a beautiful glow when lit from behind. About 10mm thick, it carries a satisfying weight and reveals deep forest greens, soft whites, and touches of orangey tan. Suspended from a simple hole on a black cord — a glowing taonga full of natural life.
This 65mm Hei Matau, Te Ara Kaha (Path of Strength), is carved from beautifully translucent light green Pounamu with a deep green band running through it. The clean, flowing curves give it movement while keeping a simple, balanced form. The Hei Matau symbolises strength, safe passage, and the ability to provide and protect, making this a meaningful and steady taonga to wear.
