Easter Island Carving: Encinitas/Swami's - General Tiki

B bamalamalu Tiki Socialite Joined: Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 1294	B bamalamalu Posted posted on Thu, Mar 24, 2011 1:18 PM Saw this update to the story today...there's a small picture on the website http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/24/tiki-statue-taking-shape-above-swamis-beach/# Tiki statue taking shape above Swami’s Beach Woodcarver turning blighted Torrey pine stump into artwork By Jonathan Horn Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 9:56 a.m. ENCINITAS — Encinitas woodworking artist Tim Richards will spend the next two weeks transforming the stump of a Torrey pine into a tiki head statue that will welcome visitors to one of the world’s most famous surf spots. The statue will stand above Swami’s Beach in Encinitas and face Coast Highway 101. Crews cut down the 80-year-old Torrey pine from the park above Swami’s in January after it fell victim to a bark beetle infestation last summer. Workers, however, left an 11-foot stump on the chance it could be transformed into a piece of public art. The city is already famous for the “Cardiff Kook” (officially “Magic Carpet Ride”) statue down the road. Enter Richards, who took up woodworking after he retired about five years ago from his job at Frazee Paint. Richards, a volunteer, pitched the tiki head after the city solicited ideas from the community. The City Council approved the concept last month. The tiki statue is fitting for its location above Swami’s, a beach revered by surfers. Tikis, otherwise known as Moai, or Easter Island heads, were made famous by Polynesians, credited with inventing surfing, between 1250 and 1500. Richards began working March 14 by stripping bark from the stump. Passers-by and surfers alike stopped to watch. “If it gets half the attention the ‘Kook’ gets, I’ll be happy,” Richards said. The “Kook” is a statue of a boy learning to surf. Many consider his pose goofy at best, and the statue has been a constant target of good-natured pranks. Early indications are that the tiki’s feedback will be more positive. Darryl Hatheway, a Swami’s surfer for 42 years, stopped last week after his time in the water to give the artist a thumbs-up. “Hey, good luck man. It will be awesome,” he told Richards. Richards, doing his first piece of public art, said one person came over to suggest a dolphin would have been more appropriate for Swami’s. Richards said a dolphin was actually his original idea, but then he decided to do something different. He said he expects to finish the carving in early April.

Saw this update to the story today...there's a small picture on the website

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/24/tiki-statue-taking-shape-above-swamis-beach/#

Tiki statue taking shape above Swami’s Beach
Woodcarver turning blighted Torrey pine stump into artwork
By Jonathan Horn

Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 9:56 a.m.

ENCINITAS — Encinitas woodworking artist Tim Richards will spend the next two weeks transforming the stump of a Torrey pine into a tiki head statue that will welcome visitors to one of the world’s most famous surf spots.

The statue will stand above Swami’s Beach in Encinitas and face Coast Highway 101.

Crews cut down the 80-year-old Torrey pine from the park above Swami’s in January after it fell victim to a bark beetle infestation last summer.

Workers, however, left an 11-foot stump on the chance it could be transformed into a piece of public art. The city is already famous for the “Cardiff Kook” (officially “Magic Carpet Ride”) statue down the road.

Enter Richards, who took up woodworking after he retired about five years ago from his job at Frazee Paint. Richards, a volunteer, pitched the tiki head after the city solicited ideas from the community.

The City Council approved the concept last month.

The tiki statue is fitting for its location above Swami’s, a beach revered by surfers. Tikis, otherwise known as Moai, or Easter Island heads, were made famous by Polynesians, credited with inventing surfing, between 1250 and 1500.

Richards began working March 14 by stripping bark from the stump. Passers-by and surfers alike stopped to watch.

“If it gets half the attention the ‘Kook’ gets, I’ll be happy,” Richards said. The “Kook” is a statue of a boy learning to surf. Many consider his pose goofy at best, and the statue has been a constant target of good-natured pranks.

Early indications are that the tiki’s feedback will be more positive. Darryl Hatheway, a Swami’s surfer for 42 years, stopped last week after his time in the water to give the artist a thumbs-up.

“Hey, good luck man. It will be awesome,” he told Richards.

Richards, doing his first piece of public art, said one person came over to suggest a dolphin would have been more appropriate for Swami’s. Richards said a dolphin was actually his original idea, but then he decided to do something different.

He said he expects to finish the carving in early April.

Post #581583 by bamalamalu on Thu, Mar 24, 2011 1:18 PM