John’s Personal Philosophy

I have described my work as ‘thought into form’.  My most basic intent with every artwork is to remind people that we are simply part of a greater whole… Nature.

I work with Oamaru Stone, as well as Ancient Kauri.

My love affair with nature…

I have been fascinated by ‘how everything came to be’ from as early as I can remember. I studied palaeontology (fossils), geology and astronomy – but it was not until I began to sculpt ancient Kauri that a greater understanding of the life and connections in all things began to flow. Working so intimately with wood drew me further into nature, and the harmony that can be found there.  48 years later – my life is still consumed by it.

A unique energy of each piece…

Each piece has its own story, its own energy. I try to capture and feel this and express its truth by ‘being’ intensely at one with it, until it feels right and the journey becomes clear to me. I often leave some of the natural surfaces of the tree, in appreciation of its natural form and essence.

sharing My work…

By sculpting a piece of ancient natural history, I feel I am preserving and sharing something timeless – bridging past and present, and waking people up to the beauty, balance and cycles of nature.  There are times when I am working that I stop and look around and think of the miracle it is to be alive, to simply be a human being in nature – a feeling so different from the isolation created by ideologies and pressures of modern living. My work offers a balance to that.  A reminder. It is an honour to pass on the appreciation of nature, and the cycles of life, into art forms others can experience and enjoy.

ABOUT

Born in Napier, Hawkes Bay, in my late teens I travelled to Wellington to further a career as a display artist. After 2 yrs of working in a large retail store I then went into a landscaping business with my father laying concrete and building stone walls. In 1972 I started my own landscaping business. By 1973 I took in a partner and began building houses. By my 25th birthday I also had a takeaway food outlet. It seemed as if all there was, was work so after working 7 days a week for 6 yrs I decided to opt out for a new lifestyle.

The birth of my daughter in 1976 changed my whole outlook on life. At this stage I was building my first house of 350 sq meters. From here I decided to sell everything and move on to new life experiences. So with my young family in tow, I purchased an 8 meter caravan, an old furniture removal truck, and a wood turning lathe and hit the road for adventure on the open road. During the late 1970s, we led a nomadic existence, going where the work took us.

In 1980 I purchased a 6 acre property between Warkworth and Wellsford in order to set up an art gallery to sell my wares to the travelling public. The “Glendarra Galleries” was a huge success and operated for a decade and it was here that I got involved with working with ancient Kauri.

In 1990 a move to Auckland City, a marked change from living in the country. I then got into the house renovating business first in Ponsonby and then in Parnell. Also at the same time I set up a workshop and studio at the then China Oriental Markets in downtown Auckland.

Unique wood production was developed making wood-turned art work and natural edged furniture from the swamp kauri. The market was a vibrant change from the quietness of the country. Here I was able to bring some of the country life to the city by having a kunekune pig on site called Arnie.

Arnie became much loved and was always invited to the market parties and I often took him across the road to the Kiwi Tavern for a beer! Many stories were to be had about Arnie and adventures in the downtown city.

Large sculptural pieces were then exported to London and a container load of tea and coffee tables to Taiwan. Eventually the Markets closed down and so I purchased a 5500 sq ft warehouse in Mt Wellington and moved what was now a substantial quantity of Kauri.

The inside of the warehouse was set up like a tropical jungle with water features and 5 meter tall banana trees all set in between the grey concrete block walls. People were totally blown away as they walked into the factory setting to find a lush paradise in the concrete jungle!

There I started to work on huge couches made from the root systems of the Kauri I had salvaged while at the markets.

Kauri Art Studio Waiheke
Kauri Art Studio Waiheke

Contact Us

Come and explore our ancient Kauri studio and meet John!

You can book a studio tour or a Stone Carving Workshop for you and your group.

We are open by appointment or by forward booking.