'Tāne Mahuta' Tekoteko

'Tāne Mahuta' Tekoteko,

Medium: Carved from native Tōtara wood

Dimensions: 750mm high

'Infinite One' Project

Recently I've been learning how to turn my wooden carvings into plaster cast duplicates. This has given me the freedom to experiment with the same form in a variety of different colors.

Lately, I’ve been studying the chakras and find the concept fascinating. Even though chakra knowledge isn't Māori knowledge per se, exploring it has provided a meaningful space to reflect on personal growth and self-improvement from within.

'Wheku' Mask

'Wheku' Mask 

Medium: Carved from native Mataī wood with pāua shell inlays and enamel paint

Dimensions: 250mm x 130mm

Carved Koru form

'Koru' 

Medium: Carved from native Tōtara wood and painted

Dimensions: 1.2m high

'Te Hoe o Kiwa', Embellished Māori Canoe Paddle

The two hues of blue represent the ocean currents coming together. A representation of Kiwa is seen on the handle. Kiwa is a guardian of the ocean.

Medium: Carved from native Mataī wood with pāua shell inlays, hemp rope binding, and feathers.

Dimensions: 85cm long

'Te Hoe o Tangaroa' Embellished Māori Canoe Paddle

'Te Hoe o Tangaroa'

Medium: Carved from native Mataī wood with pāua shell inlays, hemp rope binding and feathers.

Dimensions: 85cm long

'Tukutahinga' Wheku Mask

This piece is entitled 'Tukutahinga' referring to the synchronisation of the two hemispheres of the brain. The white hues represent light and knowledge synchronising. The purple represents knowledge transfer, the Pineal gland, the centre of perception. The twelve white sections represent the twelve Heavens.

Medium: Carved from native Tōtara wood with pāua shell inlays and paint.

Solar Dragon Carving

This dragon carving is a fusion of ancient Scandinavian and English art styles. I developed the dragon imagery into spiraling twisted coils to representing the path of the sun throughout the year. The pattern that emerges from spring equinox to autumn is one of a double spiral - the dragon.

Dragon imagery has been also been closely associated with unseen energies, fertility, protection and esoteric wisdom.

Medium: Carved from native Kahikatea wood

‘Rua-te-pupuke and Te Manu-hauturuki’ Tekoteko

                     

  

This carving represents the origins of carving, where Rua (a personification of knowledge) dived down into the deep sea into Tangaroa’s domain in search of his child, Te Manu-hauturuki. He found his child setup on Tangaroa’s house as a tekoteko (gable figure). Tangaroa is one of the supreme atua of the Polynesian people he is lord of the ocean, and his house was richly adorned by carvings.
After Rua defeated the Ponaturi (the evil sea fairies) at that house, he took the carved posts on the outside away as examples and models, and brought them back to the human world.

Medium: Carved from native Tōtara wood, pāua, clam and mother-of-pearl inlays

 Dimensions: 1000mm high

‘Tāne-nui-ā-Rangi’ Tekoteko

My main concern for this carving was to create the strength and life force connotations associated with the human being. I chose to depict the mighty Tāne-nui-ā-Rangi to reflect these attributes which are characteristics of a chief. 

Medium: Carved out of native Tōtara wood, pāua shell inlays, features and paint.

Dimensions: 500mm high

Mango-Tipi Kowhaiwhai Panel

Mango-Tipi - The Great White Shark. This is a traditional Māori design taken from the east coast of New Zealand. I copied it from a plate in Augustus Hamilton's 1896 book on Māori art.

This was one of a selection of carved and painted panels I created for a customer. Check out those tidy lines!

'Aoteatea Project' (My Carving Shed)

So pleased to see this project come together! This is just one of three large projects I did this year for my degree. Decorating the front of my workshop marks an exciting new chapter in my artistic journey.

I carved the façade to reflect my place in the universe, turning the shed itself into a meaningful piece of art. I can now take real pride in carving away every day in front of my beautifully adorned workshop!

‘The Four Props’ hand-painted acrylic on canvas

‘The Four Props’

This piece represents my own abstract interpretation of the origins of the universe through the Māori tradition of the four props: Tokomua, Tokoroto, Tokopa, and Rangi-potiki. These props were used to permanently separate Rangi and Papa (Heaven and Earth).

I built this design in three stages in coordination with the three states of existence, with Te Kore (the void) represented at the centre, Te Pō (the night) beyond that, and Te Ao-mārama (the world of light) on the very outside configured out of life symbols. I used the golden ratio 1:1.618 to space these three levels accordingly.

Medium: Hand-painted acrylic on canvas

Dimensions: 460mm x 460mm

Tawhirimatea, Future Whakaaro (Wire Tekoteko 2013)

Inspired and amazingly grateful to my Kaiako, Te Kuiti Stewart, for teaching me so much and sharing his abundant knowledge and skills with me through my time with him on the Te Maunga Kura Toi Graduate Degree programme, I made him this as a koha.

Whano koe ki te rangi,
Ki a Tāwhirimātea,
Kia kaha ai koe, kia toa ai koe,
Kia whai mana ai koe!
Go to the heavens,
To Tāwhirimātea,
So that you will be strong,
So that you will be brave,
So that you will have mana!

(Unknown author on original, translated by Michael Shirres in his book Te Tangata, 1997).

The Aoteatea Project, 'Waikura', My Shed in Taumarunui

Project: Aoteatea Whakairo

This project represents a spiritual reflection of my world, I decided to carve the front of my shed to give it the prestige it deserves after completing the 'Te Maunga Kura Toi' degree program.

The Koruru (front mask) represents Rua-te-pupuke (the personification of knowledge) and the manaia at the raparapa represent Tumatauenga (contextual) and Rongo (conceptual) all these elements are essential for carving. The puhoro kowhaiwhai design represents a tohu, an acomplishment, also speed and agility in all these elements above.

I based the koruru on a wheku mask, Tane in his propped up position and a cows pelvis, a mnemonic to the Taurus star constellation and connectivity to the earth element. The Taurus constellation is one of the key 4 zodiac markers, marking summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the Maori New year (matariki) in May/June time. 
The koruru faces exactly north which aligns with England's Stonehenge monument, I was bought up 28km away in a small town called Andover so this is rather significant to me. 

Westward my Rongo manaia faces the Great pyramids of Giza, as the opposing  side Tu faces Tongariro. On an Egyptian level I have designed these manaia in a subtle adapted form of the Ankh symbol, these symbols represent the keys to the golden gate (gate of the gods), [Scopio] -on Rongo's side and silver gate (the gate of man), [Taurus] -on Tu's side. They depict the journey of the soul and birth and death of the Sun every twelve hours.

The Milky way bisects the ecliptic along the zodiac cycle through the two points of Taurus and Scorpio, hence on rare occasions the event of galactic alignment conjunction happens where earth aligns with the galactic center.

The Voyager (Karakia Whakairo)

Project: Karakia Whakairo

I look upon Karakia Whakairo as a pathway or connection to the divine, illumination and expansion of knowledge.

In this carving I show a figure tuning into the source (Io-te-wananga) via the third eye and crown chakra, the connective interface between the physical and spiritual worlds. This carving also shows the convergence of knowledge (Hukatai) coming together through accumulation of facts that centralise themselves into wisdom (Rehu-tai) presenting expansion of consciousness.

The carving is made of three sections based on the golden ratio (ф=1.618). They represent the human, planetary and Stella scales and simultaneously the three Maori states of existence, Te Ao, Te Po and Te kore.

I started off the carving with a tiki styled figure at the base morphed into a head at the lower rectangle zone which the viewer can associate oneself with, I have emphasised the 3^rd eye region in the form of a ruru (owl) head, this shows extension and is exactly half a golden rectangle. 

The lighted up v-formation on the figure represents life-force highlighting our bodies solar plexus region, plus at the same time the accumulation of facts (Hukatai), [Sea-foam] as the light comes together at the point of the 3^rd eye area it heads straight up in an organised manner representing wisdom (rehutai), [Sea-spray]. 

Above the ruru head we have a representation of the twelve heavens, these I have depicted in organised layers like a rainbow in the dual forms of the karearea hawk, and the whale back fin to denote travel and experience. The rehutai beam of energy permeates through these levels straight up from the crown of the ruru to the eliptical takarangi spiral representing the cosmos, the abode of Io, the Stella scale and te kore. The elliptical form is reminiscent to the shape of our galaxy, The Milky Way and also represents the duality of the micro and macrocosm.

 The back-plate is in the shape of an upward positioned waka suggested a celestial spiritual journey.

'The Great Separation', Kinetic Mobile

Project: Tatau-pounamu 

In a traditional sense Tatau-pounamu is a peace agreement between two parties, yet if we look closer into the dynamics of this agreement we see that Tatau-pounamu is an event that brings forth a permanent state of change from unstability to stability, Tatau (doorway) implies event whilst Pounamu (New Zealand Jade) implies a sense of permanence.

For this project I decided to focus on the biggest example of Tatau-pounamu I could find, the separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku (heaven and earth) for this reason I decided to depict the main atua who were involved connected presented in a mobile form to evoke balance, freedom and movement. 

The mobile portrays the exact moment separation occurred, hence we have Tumatauenga and Tumatakaka holding the sacred toki used to severe their parents arms from their embrace. We have Ue-poto pointing to the way out and Tane in his classic propped up position along with Tu-pai.

I organised the atua paddles in a specific order according to our chakra locations, this is because I view the Atua Maori as Dual personifications of our chakras (inner world) and our worlds natural phenomena (outer world).

I relate this knowledge to Tatau-pounamu because once separation occurred then Tane obtained the 3 baskets of knowledge of which all the atua were assigned to their duties.

Final design of my carving shed project..

My final design of my carving shed project.. The project is due by November 17th 2013, not long to go!

Double Helix 21st Key Carving

Here is a 21st Key I've made, the double Helix form (like DNA) represents life and continuity. It is replicated three times to represent the Human, Planetary and Stella scales. The wood is of local Mountain Totara. The carving is approximately 60cm tall and has a peered finish all round.

Wheku Mask

Tangaroa, acrylic on plywood painting

Tangaroa

This is an acrylic-on-plywood painting. I am currently creating a whole range of Atua Māori in a simple, fun expression for a local kindergarten, incorporating strong, rich mnemonics and symbolism that children can learn from.

This particular piece depicts Tangaroa in a serpentine form, with the drip shape between his tail reminding us of water. He is embellished in fish scales that offer him protection.

The blue colour represents the sea, as well as communication, creativity, and the arts. Tangaroa is pictured holding his own ancient symbol in the form of a tiki-wānanga, while the double spiral represents the continuous evolution of the physical and spiritual realms.
This is part of an ongoing volunteer project I have planned with Parone Street Kindy in Taumarunui.

Medium: Acrylic on plywood

Dimensions: 1.2m tall

Rongo-mārae-roa Tekoteko Trophy

I carved this tekoteko for the Dinner at the Domain 2012 event placed in Taumarunui. It was a trophy for the Marae cook-off competition.

I choose to depict Rongo-mārae-roa because he is atua of peaceful pursuits and cultivated food, (mainly the kūmara).
I choose the pattern 'taratara a kai' because this surface design was traditionally used on Pātaka (storage houses). In this context, it represents plentiful kai (food).

Ngatoroirangi Pou

Maui Spiral kowhaiwhai panel

My Daughter presenting my Maui Spiral kowhaiwhai panel which was based on a design out of Hamilton's 1896 book on Maori Art. This painting was a gift for my Kaiako.

To me this piece represents the continual passing on of knowledge. 

 

Wheku mask, 2014

Practising making a wheku mask. I've always wanted to carve around the mouth and brow in full pākati haehae, especially to do the spirals on the cheek joints.

Medium: Native Mataī wood, pāua shell inlays, and oil finish

 

Waka Huia, 2012

Waka Huia

Medium: Carved from native Mataī wood, with Whanganui river stones to hold the lid on

Dimensions: 430mm x 150mm x 140mm

Sheryl Painting 2006-11

Medium: Acrylic on board

 

Dimension: 1.2m x 0.6m

Marakihau Poupou, 2011

'Marakihau'

Medium: Carved on NZ  Mountain Tōtara 

Dimensions: 2.4m x 0.6m apx

Pūtorino Flute, 2011

Pūtorino Flute

Medium: Carved from NZ Tōtara, binding, pāua inlays and oil finish.

Dimensions: 350mm x 60mm

Hei Tiki, 2011

Hei Tiki, 2011. I carved this piece for my wonderful Grandmother and sent it to England.

  

Medium: Cow Bone, pāua shell inlays and cord

  Dimension: 100mm x 35mm apx

Tauira Poupou, 2011

Tauira Poupou, 2011

Dimension: Carved in native Tōtara 

Dimensions: 800mm x 400mm