Our buddy Benzart

We are fortunate enough to have a few pieces by Benzart in our collection and thought it would be fun to share pictures of these treasures. Our fist piece was acquired from an antique mall in South Florida in December of 2003– Ben joined Tiki Central the following January. When we got the Lono, we had no idea who had done it, we just loved the Tiki and the quality of the carving. Through Tiki Central we made Ben's acquaintance and we ended up sharing a table with him and his wife Sherry at the Hukilau that fall. They were both such nice people and so easy to talk to, we hit it off right away. I loved seeing photos of all of Ben's old work and proud to have such a wonderful example of it. For that Hukilau, Ben brought a bunch of pendant necklaces that were quickly bought up and one large scale piece that he'd held on to from the old days. I'm guessing that everyone just assumed it was for display only because he still had it at the end of the weekend. Well, we struck a deal, and that big mask became part of our collection as well. I bought my favorite pendant that weekend, and asked Ben to make one that I could give Amy as a gift. He did an amazing, delicate, detailed version of the Kona Kai Tiki for her—so our Benzart collection grew.

This January Ben started work on another large Lono and I could tell from early on that it was going to be a good one. I mean, they all are good, but something about this one struck me as special. I emailed him right away. Luckily, I was the first to speak up and therefore got first dibs on what soon became a crazy-cool, super-detailed and intense Tiki. We are just so thrilled to have this Tiki in our Tabu Tiki Room!

So here are some pictures of our Benzart treasures starting with the most recent:

The new Lono arrived just as we were heading out to dinner at the Chef Shangri-La, so he went for a ride and was unveiled at the Chef:

Here he is next to the vintage Ben Davis Lono:

Next to our Tiki from the Imperial Luau (thanks BK!):

In our lounge:

This is the wall mask:

Here are our pendants:

Amy and I consider ourselves very lucky to have these great carvings and to count Ben and Sherry among our friends. And aren't we all lucky that Ben discovered Tiki Central, got back into carving Tiki, and is now creating more master works for everyone to enjoy? If you have a piece by Benzart, please add pictures of it here. I'd love to see pendants and carvings of his in their new homes (or around their owners necks) and I know it would make Ben happy to see his work being appreciated and enriching someone's Tiki world.

-Duke

I dont own a Benzart , but he is the reason I took up carving.

Thanks Ben for being you!!

Wow! Great collection and great story!

I feel honored to have seen that Lono in a raw state when Loki hosted the South Flrodia Tiki Jam. And I feel a great deal of jealousy because I was coveting that Lono!

Simply amazing. Just like Rodeotiki, Ben was the reason I started carving. Your collection is beautiful!

[on an unrelated side note, the spell checker shows Geodetic as an alternate for Rodeotiki. Wierd huh?]]

those are incredible!!!! i hope i'm lucky enough to own some benzart someday!

well all I can say is holy Cow.....what a nice collection!

Thanks for sharing the experiences and photos. Benzart is going to be happy first thing in the A.M. tomorrow to see his old friends again, the tikis.

I am privileged to own a Benzart pendant. It is probably the coolest thing in my whole house.

I still don't own a benzart, but he really is a master. Thank you senor.
And Amy & Duke, you have an amazing collection.

What an amazing tiki!! I love that kind of rich detail...sigh...

I really enjoyed meeting Benzart last fall too--such an kind, mellow guy, wonderful personal energy. I hope to own at least a wee pendant someday!

And yes, Duke and Amy, those glimpses of your lovely home are fascinating--! :wink:

yeah, yeah. And the thing about Benzart is, he looks like a regular white guy. But we all know he's not a regular white guy. No dripping gold off his neck or fingers. No Hollywood haircut. But inside is a powerful creative force.

Nobody does wood
half as good
as you,
baby you're the best
We weren't looking
but somehow you found us
baby you're the best

Thanks JT, You talkin' 'bout me?
Where's your pictures, you're supposed to post your benzarts.

Boutiki, is that Benzart #7??? If so, you are one LUCKY dude, man, I think that tiki is so way cool. Great post here, and yes, Ben's work is so awesome. Dude, you have the coolest house, what a cool collection you have, man! So cool, you showed all the other vintage Ben's art pieces too as well as your other stuff. What a totally cool post about a totally cool artist. Ben's artwork rocks! Boutiki, thatg's so cool you had an unveiling ceremony, but I don 't see an champagne or tiki drinks, ha, Dude you rock, what an awesome post! If that's Benzart #7, I was wondering where it went, nice to know it's safe and sound in the midwest, traveling from warm balmy weather to the artic cold, ha, ha.

Gush :)

Yes, I do agree
That here on TC
He's the one to Be
Full of advice thats Free
For all to gladly See
so lucky for you and me
amazing crafts from a Tree
carved like natives across the sea
the master of creating TIKI

You bet Ben. I'll post your Benzart pendants here. Nothing looks better with a Benzart pendant than cleavage. That's what I'm looking for right now. soon, soon.

Great topic Duke, thanks for sharing the pics. Beautiful things all around you! As for me owning a Benzart original...
Not yet but I am on "the list". I hope there still is a list but I don't know where I am on it.
That really doesn't matter because I have a lot of patience...good things are worth the wait! Besides, I am gonna get to meet him in person at Coon-tiki in April.
:D :D :D (Happy, happy, happy)

Such beautiful carvings! Wow. And to be surrounded by them like you are. I will not be jealous. I will not be jealous. I will not be....

Here are my two Benzart pendants.

I consider myself fortunate enough to contact him at the right place at the right time. I too had a chance to meet Benzart at the Hukilau two years ago the night before we got evacuated. What a very nice friendly laid back guy. He is a true inspiration to me. And hope to own more Benzart pendants and hopefully a Big Benzart. That would make "Spermy's Blowhole" complete. Thanks for sharing pic's Dukeand everybody else!!!!
Later,
Spermy

EEEEeeeeeeAAAAaaaaaaOOOOooooooWWWWWwwwwWWWw

[ Edited by: The Sperm Whale 2006-02-17 09:38 ]

Benzart is the man
with the chisel in his hand
lives in Florida,so he's tan
I'm your biggest fan
see you in Tennesee.
Looking forward to learning from the master.
Someone should write a tiki rap song.not I.

Aloha to all!!!!!!!
I have to agree with you all!
Benzart(Ben Davis) is a very cool person. I was very nervious to meet him 2 years ago at my 1st Hukilau,but he was so laid back that it put me at ease even though i only stayed for a couple minutes and then i went back to my booth.He came over to where i was showing my tikis and complimented on my tikis and that Inspired me to work even to get better.Ben,is one of the most unselfish people that i have had the pleasure of meeting and without a doubt the reason that my tikis are getting better because of his insight,teaching,sharing of what he has learned through time of carving.
I will say to all of you my friends that do what you have to do to save the money to have Benzart carve you a tiki.They are the most incredible tikis that i have ever seen and the man truly carves with his SOUL!!!!!!!!!!
His tikis look like they just came out of the Hawaiian Caves so alive and full of soul.
To those of you who are trying to go to the carving seminar get there he (benzart) is an amazing teacher and not a person with an ego,so get to tenn for the carving ceminar, Mahalo for letting me speak a bit,aloha to all and all be safe, aloha , Jimmy Mooney(mooneytiki)

Did you know that Ben has started 33 threads in creating wich have recieved 2283 responces and have been viewed 71329 times.
I dont think anyone would be able to doubt the influence Ben has had any anyone of us.

Yes I was bored at work today....

Im on a LONG waiting list for some Benzart magic. I know it will be worth it.

A distant tiki history book is going to read: Benzart was a master of tiki cool and happy are all the lucky b@st@rds that got a pendent made.

Hey there Duke, I got to watch your tiki being carved step by amazing step. He is the ultimate tiki carver and such a wonderful guy to boot. I love emailing with him back and forth. He has taught me so much about TC and how to post here. You are so lucky to have this tiki, it's detail is just inspiring.

Any chance you are going to do book two? You are welcome to photograph any of our tikis. Wendy

Seriously Duke, any chance of doing book two??? I think we are all ready to buy it.We all need some more tiki excitement in our lives.

Thanks Duke and Everyone else who posted here. I would Love to see pic's of all the benzarts with their owners. I have pix of all the pieces but very few of their liberators. You can email me if you don't want your pic posted here.
Tyhanks to Everyone for their continued support. Tiki Central has been a real "Shot in the Arm" for meover the last 2 years. Thanks.

all your carvings look perfect as usual Ben. What I want to know is how you carved that moai image in the wrapping paper on page 1 picture 3 top left corner? Or am I just seeing things????

Good eyes Keigs, can't you tell I did that one from paper mache(sp?), and it looks like Duke just ripped it to shreds.
Cool find.

WOW, I finally see it. It's at the top of the wrapper. I told you he was a Wizard!

There's something wierd going on.

On 2006-03-13 11:07, Benzart wrote:
Thanks Duke and Everyone else who posted here. I would Love to see pic's of all the benzarts with their owners.

Here is my Benzart in the Stentiki Hut.

You are the master, Ben!

As promised to our buddy Ben. Sorry Ben, it's not me wearing the pendants but I think you'll find she does justice to them. First image is the Maori pendant. The second image shows the bone BK Marquesan pendant I just received, center top with Benzarts pendants. COOL!

On 2006-03-14 09:57, Jungle Trader wrote:
There's something wierd going on.

Ya! What he said!!

WoW! those look great!

mahalo, mahalo, mahalo, jt!

Mahaloz JT!

DANG! Benz you make'um look sooo real...big, small, just right?...perfect if ya ask me! :D

Flip-flOp-fLipPp...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it's not me wearing the pendants

What pendants, I didn't see any pendants!