BENZART's Carvings Second original thread

GMAN, I'll fix you up, Thanks,

REvBAmBooBeN, Thaaaaanks for the Arrrr's, COme see us some time? like April fools day??

Thanks Rodeo tiki..

TikiJosh, see what you miss when you don't come around? Thanks for the comps and nice words!

Yes, some of you saw another project, a 3' Mahogany Lono and here is another one, a 6' Maori

Aloha Ben!!!!!!
Lono looks Aweasome and even bbetter in person!!!!!!
Who ever is getting Mr Lono is one lucky person!
To all who are going or trying to go to the carving seminar in tennessee ? What ever you can do to get there DO it!!!!I am lucky to live about 20min from Ben and i try to go over and watch him carve and (i hack with him), but He is truly an Amazing person Who is not afraid to help you and teach you what he knows.
Ben thank you for all your help and mostly for being a good friend. Aloha for now and thanks for being so humble to help a hack like me to be a better carver, Aloha your friend ,Mooney

Aloha again Bruddah Ben!
Again, what can I say that hasn't already been said?! We all should thank the akua for a bruddah as kind, helpful, talented and experienced as you...If there is some kine hierarchy here on TC, then youve got to be the Ali'i Nui of this cyber "island"!
Cant wait to see more da kine works from you bruddah!

Mahalo nui Loa Ben!

Ben, that Big Lono turned out GREAT! How COOL is THAT! I see there is a Lono "Junior" in the works now, how exciting! Boy, you are sure busy with all your carving projects, how awesome! I'm going to keep watching your thread here, it is quite a popular forum topic I see, it's like watching a great TV series and you just can't wait for the next episode. Ben, you are a GREAT artist! Beautiful Lono piece you did there. How exciting for the lucky person who's gettting it.

On a side note, how wild that you are working on three big projects at the same time.

Woohoo - what an awesome lono! Thats got to be the most awesome carved tiki I have seen. Such details on such a large piece! Love it - you da man

It looks like we have a lot to look forward to. Yeahhhh! I like the one you are carving that is hanging from the ceiling (floor).
JP

Wow, this is a hot forum, it's coming up on 20,000 views!

On 2005-11-22 08:41, Benzart wrote:
It really feels great to be able to chop wood again. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes during my eye fix recovery. It is a simple procedure but the last one was Way better than the first.

What to do next..... I have to finish a X-mas carving for my son and his new wife. I have to finish 2 tap handles for Tiki bird. I owe Tiki Toa a carving, and a bunch more on the list I need to get out of the way, but first I may do another BigBenzArt, ant suggestions??

Hey, did you ever finish the carving for Toa? I'd love to see some pics when it's done!

Oh my G...........
I think its your 7th day Ben, and you can look down on all you have made and smile. Lono is perfect.

Thanks,everyone, I appreciate the comps, Stingray, no I haven't finished it yet. but I will post some pic's soon.
Thanks again everyone.

Had an Epidural injection Tuesday to eleminate pain in my right leg and allow me to walk on it all the time.
Here is the little bit I have gotten done since on #5, the mahogany Lono

Love those curls!!! Amazing work as always.

Ben, your tikis seem to segue one to the next lately like a continuing story...

Lookin good Benz...hope you are feeling better after that nasty shot...the lono head dress is just great as usual.

What a drag about that epidural shot! Hope you're feeling better, take it easy. I bet "Lono Junior" is gonna be way cool! The curls are cool!

You are already getting wild with the detail and you have only just set down the chainsaw on the rough out.
JP

Howzit bruddah Ben!
Hope your feeling mo bettah brah! That mahogany Lono is going to be absolutely amazing! (as usual!) Take care of yourself Ben, pau hana time if you start feeling beat braddah...We need you in top health, because without the "kahuna" many of us will stay lost!

Hana Hou Ben, cant wait to see more!

Malama Pono!

Hey Ben- That scroll design looks really cool. I can tell it'll be a fine looking piece (what's new, right! :wink: )

I hope you get to feeling better too...

Ben hope you are feeling better soon.

[ Edited by: tiki beat by marcus thorn 2006-01-26 13:28 ]

Benz,

Epidural? You didn't look pregnant when I dropped you off the other day? Just kidding. Sorry to hear that the pain was that bad. Hopefully the shot was able to knock it down a few notches. Take it easy and don't mess yourself up with this Lono. I've been in a bad way too lately, damn cold fronts kill my joints.

I really like the shape of that mahogany log, like it grew all those years to become a Lono with a Benzart headdress. I can;t wait to see what you do with it, but putting curls and all that detail in that hardwood log is gonna bust you up. Be safe and take it slow...

-Gman

Ben, how are you feeling? You doing o.k.?

[ Edited by: Bete 2006-01-28 10:18 ]

Thanks Moki, I hope the curls don't piss him off, I would hate to think he thought I was making him too femenine!

Aaron's, Thanks, they ARE a Continuing story, of mylearning how to carve tikis. I don't Know how to do them all yet.

Loki, I Am feeling better, thanks. The third shot is supposed to be the one that lasts,,we'll see. Thanks for the props and thanks for the thanks card btw! It was cute with your 3 cats and 2 dogs. We have 2 cats and 3 dogs.

Bete, thanks I do feel better, Glad you like the curls since this guy is for you.

Thanks JohnnyP, I didn't do much with the chainsaw on this one so just jumped right in with the chisels, glad you likee.

Thanks Kaha, I'm feeling better already, and the mahogany is too. It has been a Long time since I carved a piece of hardwood this big and it isn't even big, but it is carving Nicely. I can't wait to see how much detail I can get into it.

Sam, Thanks , there is something about spirals or scrolls that really get your attention, not sure what it is but they are neat. Glad you approve, thanks.

Marcus, thanks, definitely feeling better.

GMAN, Thanks and No I wasn't pregnant but I am better now. This mahogany tree was just waiting for me to come along, I Knew it!

I haven't done much to it but here is a small update.

So fun to see this tiki come to life, yeah there really is something to be said for the scrolls, I think it's the overall attention you pay to meticulous detail. It's like watching Frank Lloyd Wright design a house, it's just cool.

It is amazing how much attention you put into just one scroll and yet barley have the others marked out! Such confidence. I am glad you have scrolls in various states, helps learn how you do it!
Thanks again.
JP

Benz,

He is looking great! It won't be long now and you'll be agonizing over the details and wondering when he is truly "finished". I hope he is as good to you as the last.

Oh, and thanks for the phone call today. All is well.

-Gman

ALoha bruddah ben!
Glad youre feeling mo bettah brah! That lono is going to be stellar Ben! You like working with the acacias or do you prefer softer kine woods? Cant wait to see more!

Keep up the good work and take care of your self bruddah!

Malama Pono!

Aloha Ben!!!!!!!!
I'm glad that your feeling better my friend!
Mr Lono is looking Really good. I love the mahagony!Where did you get the wood?(hahaha)(hurricanes do bring a few good things) Keep slaying the wood and let the wood chips fly where they may a whole lot of fun is happen today!!!!!!!!!!Mahalo for inspiring me, Aloha, Mooney

I just wanted to give my 500th post to the first dude to welcome me on my first post here on TC, my man benzart.Im sure he was the first welcomer for many of you guys and his tiki craftmanship, and incouragement has been a huge insperation to me as well as many others... thanks benz

On 2006-01-29 15:13, kirby wrote:
I just wanted to give my 500th post to the first dude to welcome me on my first post here on TC, my man benzart.Im sure he was the first welcomer for many of you guys and his tiki craftmanship, and incouragement has been a huge insperation to me as well as many others... thanks benz

I agree. He's a treasure around here! Cheers to Ben, and to your time here as well, kirby.

Ben you rock! What a great personality you have and artist you are!

Wow Ben, over 20,000 views on this forum now!

BEtte, thanks, I Do like meticulous but I don't think I qualify to be compared at All with Frank Lloyd Wright, but thanx anyway.

JohnnyP, thank you too, I will try today to start All the scrools on the one side and leave them in various stages of completion so you can see more of how they evolve.

Thanks GMAN, tho that's not what I wanted to hear, I guess you are right.

Kaha Ki'i MAhalo, I like the acacias except for their tendancy to check badly. The harder the wood the finer the detail you can carve,even if you have to Work harder to get it. I Love MAhogany, it is a firm, soft wood and is the industry standard for woodworking. You can get sharp detail but you must be careful because it will "Tear our" on you when least expected. This Florida Magogany is very pretty and soft for carving, but has a treacherous, swirling grain in places that you really have to stay on top of. Thanks.

Moonet tiki, thanks for your props. You know where We got this Mahogany tree, from Hurricane Wilma in Broward County. Just keep trying not to pick up those bad habits you see from me, just learn the good ones. Thanks.

Kirby, I am Very proud that you spent your 500th post on my thread.. I have watched you since you were a baby noobee and watched your art blossom. Seeing that has inspired Me, so I guess it works both ways, Thanks again.

Sam, thanks. Well I DO Live on the Treasure Coast of Florida, but I'm sure I was not in anyones mind when they named it that. Thanks Sam.

Bette,thanks for all your props, 20,000? and I started this thread in June of '06 Thanks.

Today I will do some work around here and I might post some pictures tonight. Thanks everyone.

Here is the latest update on #8 and the beginning of Loki and StumpGrinders #9 Maori.
He is 6Ft tall and is froma big Washingtonian.

I learn so much just LOOKING at your work! I hope my brain is big enough to hold what I can learn from WATCHING you!

WOW, two pieces at the same time, they are looking cool. Hey, I went back and looked at your finished pictures of Big Ben #7 again last night and looked real close and I saw all that detail you added to the 3 posts in that headress, I didn't notice all that before (I had access to a better monitor to see it yesterday), WOW!

[ Edited by: Bete 2006-01-30 15:23 ]

Ben,

#9 is going to be sweet! That one is over 6 feet tall is it not? Man, I can't believe you are gonna do these two at the same time. Yikes! They both look great so far. I'm digging the top-knot on #9. Please show us what you can, when you can. Thanks!

-Gman

So carving 1 amazing tiki at a time wasnt good enough, now you gotta do 2 at a time. What ever is in the water down there I am gonna bottle some and bring it home.

Thank you for the close ups! Two different styles as well. WOW.
JP

Thanks Silverline, I'm sure your brain is big enough to hold what little I have to add to it. I'll take it slow for you. Thanks

YEs Bete, 2 at once and I wil start a Pendant or two later this week so I will have 4 pieces going on at the same time

GMAN, 2 at once, yes. Here are more shots of the headdress. Sweet? Yes it is, this Washingtonion palm actually has a sweet sugarysap in it that the bee's seem to love. Thanks for the props

Rodeo, It IS the water, I'll send you some, you'll love it.. than you can work on 2 at the same time.

Johnny, you're welcomw, glad you liked them, Thanks.

Here is the latest update for No 8 and no 9. Got a long way to go but you can start to see what they are gonna look like.










Here is the update on #*. One side done and 3 more to go of the headdress.

beautiful work, ben I really like your bigguns!

That headress is going to be AWESOME when it's all done!

POLYNESIAC - putting the 'F' back in ART

[ Edited by: Polynesiac 2006-02-01 22:32 ]

Love that scroll work!
Very Classy!

Hi Ben, simply awesome stuff!
your mention of pendants prompted me to again delve thru your earlier 50 page thread (and also some of your other threads), and i can't descibe it any different to anyone else except to say it is all unbelievable work!
ps is there a list for the pendants still? is it about a mile long?

Benz, It's like watching my kid grow...Love it....we are so excited over him. Thanks again for the great work and care given to him.

#8's scrolls look really cool and #9 looks like you've got all shaped out, WOW! Amazing how different they look every couple of days, WOW! So you're doing two pendants too? Cool, will they be made out of wood? or bone? or something else? What are they going to be of? Hope you are feeling better since that last injection and that you are doing well!

The Maori is going to be incredible, judging by the small ones you've done. Are you taking a break from the small ones? Either way, it's always fun to watch your work take shape.

Looking good Ben. The scroll work on the headdress is nice. Can't wait for more pictures! More More More!!

-Alldo

Polynesiac, thanks for the props, I hope he meets your expectations

Hello, HelloTiki, Hope everyone loves scrools because they kind of snuck into a few tikis here recently. Hell, If the maoris can do it, why can't the Hawaiians do it??

Harro, thanks big time! That was a Lot of work. Yes I have a list but it isn't quite a mile long. The list only has about 62 names, but some are peeps who have been Long gone for a Loong time..At this time I am not addingany names to the list. However, I do occasionally do a pendantjust to do one and it goes to the first person who asks for it, so stay tuned. I'm working on a pair right now for another anniversary.

Loki and StumpGrinder. I am rearing this kid just as if he were my own. Careful, he may be spoiled already. I will make him as beautiful as he can be. How about a Mahogany stain??

Bete, You skip a day and you may miss all the excitement, you never can tell. Thanks for your continued support.

Raffer, thanks, I Always appreciate props from you, they are special. It does seem I was breaking from the baby stuff, but NOT. I have 2 going on now and 2 more to start soon.

Alldo, thanks man, I'm hurrying as fast as I can sleep. I am trying to work slow and steady. I usually get going and don't stop til I can't move then I suffer the next few days so I'm slowing down and trying to work smarter. It's difficult. Thanks for the comps.

First shots of Black Walnut and Mahogany Pendants