Post #297011 by Paipo on Thu, Apr 5, 2007 2:52 AM

On 2007-04-05 01:28, Benzart wrote:

This is one of a pair of quite spectacular carvings:
The Tauihu (Prow)

The Taurapa (Stern Post)

More info here:
http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/greenstone/gallery/waka_large.htm#top
I was lucky enough to meet Richard when I worked in the North Island as a commercial lapidary 6 years ago. An incredibly talented carver, easily one of the best I've ever seen, and a very clever engineer too.
Here's his website.
My boss was a great guy to work for. Not only did he have probably the largest stock of gems and crystals in NZ which I had free access to, he would also ring up carvers he knew and ask if they would have me for a half or whole day and share their knowledge with me. I still use many of the techniques these guys taught me and it really opened my eyes after the fairly heavy-handed and dated techniques we were taught at "rock school".
One of those two pieces (I can't remember which) was stolen from a gallery in a smash and grab and disappeared for a few years until it was dug up in 2005. It was valued at $100,000.