ABOUT THE ARTIST

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I was born in Wellington in 1962.  My parents were keen trampers and they introduced myself and my siblings to tramping from a young age.  At the age of 14, I left home to attend Methven High School where I was able to snow ski five days a week. These activities gave me a love of the outdoors which I have retained as part of my character.

 

I then focused on restoring the oldest house in Wellington called Daisy Hill Farmhouse when I was 19.  Before I knew it I was married with two children and spent the next eleven years in London were I started my long career in IT recruitment.  I was fortunate to travel a lot whilst overseas and I discovered a love of art in the museums of Europe.

 

On my way back to New Zealand I stopped in Bali where I learnt to surf.  Back in New Zealand, with the intention of returning to Wellington, I went to Piha for a surf and twenty seven years later have not left.  With fresh eyes I was able to appreciate the unique things about New Zealand and started creating wooden tables and bowls before moving on to abstract shapes.

 

I like to work with swamp kauri which has been salvaged from Takanini before the subdivisions covered most of this old forest.  This old kauri forest was put into the swamp by a massive tsunami 1300 years ago.  I also work with other native timber that I retrieve  from fallen trees within our regional park.  

 

The principal motivation behind my work is to show off the unique qualities of New Zealand's native timbers and to encourage people to connect with nature through art. I like to incorporate the irregularities of the timber and will often include remaining pieces of bark to add character and texture to each individual art work.

 

I encourage you touch the pieces I have created, immerse yourself in art and nature to see and feel her beauty. 

 

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HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR UNIQUE PIECES OF WOOD ART:

Your piece of art is a natural product and as such, defects and changes may be noticed over time, this is normal and to be expected.  Care needs to be taken as to where the piece is placed.  These unique pieces can be affected by environments such as air conditioning or direct sunlight, these may cause your piece of sculpture to dry out.

 

To ensure your piece stays in the best possible condition we suggest you follow regular maintenance every two to three years as detailed below (this should also be undertaken more frequently if you notice any cracking):

1. Sand your piece of art with 200 grit sandpaper to remove the existing wax or any blemishes

2. Next sand with 400 grit sand paper, this ensures the piece will be smooth

3. Once smooth, oil the piece with Danish Oil (I use Briwax Danish Oil which is available from most hardware stores).  Wipe off the excess oil with a dry, lint free cloth and leave to dry

4. The following day lightly sand again with 400 grit sand paper and apply a further coat of Danish Oil.  Wipe off any excess oil with a dry, lint free cloth and leave to dry

5. Once the oil is dry apply a clear furniture wax (I use Briwax however most brands are fine), wipe off the excess wax with a lint free      cloth and leave to dry then buff to a high polish with a lint-free, clean cloth. 

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