BenZart...MaoriChief, Glass pendant Update Today

Heres the updates for today. The "Butt face" is almost done, a bit of clean up and some adornment and the face will be done Then I can finish the club itself.
Enjoy

Never seen something like that.
The tongue, the eyes, the nose everything looks perfect.

Bravo,

Ben

This guys got it all Ben. Good form and composition, spontaneity, spirit, historical reference,definitely moved into a one of a kind work of art....with that personal Benzart touch. It's a beauty.

:)

Jeez benz! awesome...
Love it! I really wanted a Benzart pendant but now I think I want a Benzart war club! So nice Ben, really... So I think Ill take you up on your offer to sharpen all my wood carving tools.. Check out my new post to see why!

Love you bruddah, great work as always!!!!!!!!

Thanks Ben, Robin, Babalu and Kaha, Appreciate the kind words. Kaha, Send me your chizzels and I'll make them so they cut, however from your latest I don't think you are having any troubles.

Heres todays update. I coated the figures with a sanding sealer and that is pretty much gonna be the color of that part of the wood.

Wow Master Ben! That is museum quality for sure. Unbelievable.

amazing work ben! ol' buttface is really looking good.

That really is stunning.... you brought life out from the wood, truly amazing!

Oh man...just beautiful. That wood looked like it was giving you a hard time, but I see you licked into shape! Drooooool.....

Benzo,

Daaaaayyummmmm!!! Oh man, oh man! I bet those spirals are gonna be some kinda purdy once they are all polished? I love how the black grain gives the Butt-Face such an old and rich look. Rich, too rich$$ for Gman.....

-G

MAN-OH-MAN-OH-MAN-OH-MAN, that paddle is WAY TOO COOL!
I want one, it's so AWESOME!!!

Yah Benz...all of the above and more. It just blows me away.

Thanks Finkdaddy, Now if I can just find a museum. I Like having you back on TC. Stick around awhile this time!

Bullet, Thanks for the kind words, Flattery will get you Every Where!!:lol: :lol:

Blowfish, Thanks to you too. How ever the life was brought out of the wood since I carved it I guess I get the credit right. Will that get me a cup of Joe anywhere I need to stay awake. Thanks

Paipo, Nah, the Wood was not giving ME a hard time, I was giving Me a hard time. Whats that old Maori saying, "Its Just a piece of wood, I don't let it tell ME what to do" " I'm the one who decides what it will become no matter what the wood Screams.".. Thanks Paips

GMAN,NO you can't have him, but you CAN Come see him. I have 4 or 5 more Beautiful pieces of wood which will all become these type clubs anyone who wants one should say so now or forever hold your piece. (or how ever that goes) Thanks G

Robin,All of the above too and more. Thanks for the call yesterday too, it was very thoughtful and nice.

I am enjoying doing this piece more than any other in a Long while and part of that enjoyment has been the support from All you folks. It Keeps me Breathing.
More tomorrow.

Beautiful as always, Benz.. R those swirls on the meaty end of the club made with a hook knife?? If you already addressed this, I apologize. The piece is great,, Lookin forward to comin down to Fl. sometime and hopefully I can see you work, AND pick your brain a bit.:wink:

[ Edited by: FreddieBallsomic 2007-09-12 19:44 ]

whoah!!!

I go away for a while and this club has taken on its own life / personality and more!! amazing work as usual ben! I love the grain of the wood and the detail in the handle and the maori guy. Unbelievable! Looks like a pretty hard wood?

PS The Benzart Tikifarm set has apparently arrived back home in Australia - can't wait to get back there and admire them in person!

Thanks Freddy, Yes I used the hook knife as well as other tools on the swirls but mostly hook knife. Come on Down!!! Pick all u want.

Harro, thank you too for the kind words. See what happens when you go away?

Here are the 3 pieces I have shaped out for clubs.

The one on the far left is the club currently under construction

And Here is the Last/First club

Can't wait to see what comes next with those clubs!!! How will you top the last one?!?! (I have no doubt that you will)

Those blanks look great. You may have to buy more blades.

By the way - when I was up there last week, Ben gave me a log of White Pine. WOW! You guys that get to carve that stuff normally are really spoiled - its almost like cheatin! I carved for a few hours and never HAD to sharpen my tools. Carving palm and some of the other hardwoods you have to sharpen after a few minutes. I am carving a larger version of a past tiki that everyone loved. Thanks again Ben and I will have some pictures later this weekend.

Derivations of: Awesome
Derivations
Words beginning with "awesome": awesomely, awesomeness, awesomenesses. (additional references)

dude, whatta beautiful club! the sealer really makes the grain look great. buttface and warrior are outstanding. if you need somebody to buy one of the new clubs, lemme know! :D

Thanks Blowfish, it may be awhile before I get to them but they're On the Burner.

AlohaStation, Thanks for the kind words. I'm Really glad you are using that pine and that you like it. Can't wait to see what you did with it.
The Reverend Bamboo Ben (are we talking about the right guy here, Reverend?)Thanks for the Awesomely stated words. :lol: :lol:

Here is a small update from yesterday since I didn't do anything today.

Hey Bullet, I guess you posted your blurb as I was posting mine. None of the 3 blanks are spoken for yet so let me know which one you like, Thanks!

groovy ben! i think the second from the left tickles my fancy. mahalo braddah!

Cool, That's the Last Palo Escrito slab for now. Hopefully I can get more one of these days. It has your name on it, Cheers!

Heres this weekends Update. finished the one side and put one coat of sealer on it to protect it while I do the other side..

wow! i didn't realize it was gonna get that much better with the sealer. beautiful work on beautiful wood.

Wow Benz!!! That looks so good I want to hit my head with it,excellent work!!

It's really nice, I was wondering, It's it heavy?

How'd you do that? The spirals and ribbing are perfect.... We need to get you your own TV show where every week you walk through a different project. The New Benzart's Workshop. Then us peeps could learn.

John

a ha!

So this is what you do on your off time!

http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/reviews/davis/davis8-1-07.asp

Thanks Bullet. It's Amazing whats hiding in plain sight.

Clarita, Come On Down (Up?) we can arrange for you to get this pattern copied onto your head. :lol: Thanks.

Tahitiki, thanks for stopping by, no this wood is not too heavy, though it is Plenty HARD!

Thanks JP, from you that is a Compliment. Bring a vid-cam when you come down and we'll make some tapes. I'm afraid you might have to stay here awhile though.

Bamboo Benny, Darn,but sorry, that stuff is too fancy for me.Must bee some other poor soul with my name. (Where do you always find this stuff?)

[ Edited by: Benzart 2007-09-17 08:11 ]

Hey Benz . . .

I recently saw a full size jade mere (a Maori club about 14 inches long) listed on TradeMe.com (a New Zealand auction site). It was a neat item and not too expensive; and the seller said it even had a hole in the handle so you could attach a cord and wear it as a pendant. I guess those Kiwis have really strong necks, but do you think that a cord with your wood clubs would work for us Yanks?

On a more serious note, have you ever worked with bubinga (an African wood)? It has a beautiful golden-brown hue when finished and a subtle grain that would look good with your clubs.

[ Edited by: timidtiki 2007-09-17 11:20 ]

Thanks Timid, Sure a long cord will work on my clubs. I was planning a short, Wrist sized cord anyway, but the club would make a great pendant and when your wife or kidz get outta line you wouldn't have to look far for a persuader. :lol:
Yess I have worked Bubinga and still have some in fact, but it is in smaller pieces. It Would make a nice club.

Heres todays update. Nothing surprising, just the tedious finishing of the spiral detail.

That's beautiful stuff Ben! I could get lost in those spirals. I want this one. Are you hookin' and grindin' or grindin' and hookin'?

-G

Even more beautiful step after step.

Ben

On 2007-09-17 16:00, Benzart wrote:

Heres todays update. Nothing surprising, just the tedious finishing of the spiral detail.

Tedious for you maybe...not for us! I would love to watch a sped-up time lapse video of you carving one of these.

On 2007-09-18 01:48, Paipo wrote:

On 2007-09-17 16:00, Benzart wrote:

Heres todays update. Nothing surprising, just the tedious finishing of the spiral detail.

Tedious for you maybe...not for us! I would love to watch a sped-up time lapse video of you carving one of these.

Yep, me too :wink:

Thanks GMAN, Paipo and BenX2, I appreciate the kind words. One of these days I'll get a vid-camera and scare you guys with a how-to movie.
Here is todays "same as yesterdays" update. Same boring, monotonous stuff. However, this time almost all the carving is done but a bit more on the butt-face, then it's Sanding, sanding and a bit More sanding, then I'll make the base.
Enjoy

myspace

[ Edited by: Benzart 2007-09-19 05:24 ]

Yowwie! That is HOT! F$%^ing HOT! Do you think you could make those spiral cuts any deeper? You lose any blades in there? Jeeze......

-G

This work of art is indeed......Hawt!

Okay, so it's not my usual brand of tiki butt, but butt-face still rocks! (hee hee, I said butt three times...oops...make that four). No, really, I am an adult! :wink:

Those spirals are so smooth and sensuous I really wanna touch them! As I mentioned in Shout! last night, I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes out of that Ziricote too!

Just insane Ben!! You going to trick the base out too? Keep taken the good pictures of this guy.

Whoa, that one's killer... I'd love to see what you can do with a fijian club! Great stuff, Benz!

Hello Ben. :wink:

Can I see another picture (way closer up?) of the piece from this angle, with more detail?

Thank you!

Chance
the Gardener
Your humble servant.

[ Edited by: tikigap 2007-09-18 21:35 ]

GMAN, Sure I can go a Bit deeper without going thru to the other side! Thanks.

Thanks McTiki. :)

JenTiki, But Thanks for saying the Butt word so much. Seems it is floating around here quite a butt,,I mean Bitt. I'm with you, Can't wait to get into that Zircote, except that it's SO Hard.

Thanks Babalu, I'm sure the base will see a few Spirals too.

Kahaka, Thanks, nice seeing you around here. Yes, I may just listen to the Fijian club calling me. It's been getting louder.

Thanks TGap, Sure thing. Just so happens I have some of those pix in this next update.
Here is Todays update with one coat of wipe-on poly. It will get 5 or 6 coats.

oh my god is that awsome benz!

Well.....that takes top honors for clubs on my scorecard.....

-G