Benzart 's, Last, most recent thread

Dannnnngggg! I love them. The Lono is tops. Killer Benz carves. Mail him over....

Well what am I gonna carve next? I just don't know. Could it be a Jade piece, A Stone piece, a wood piece large,,small, mini?? I received a piece of Bass wood before the left coast oki oki that is 6feet by 12 inches by 12 inches and it is a Beautiful piece of wood. What will I do??
Here are some macros of the stone and Lono. After looking at these I may go back to work on it,,what'do'ya think??

![](https://tikicentral.com/uploads/1584/45496a02.jpg[/img
[img]https://tikicentral.com/uploads/1584/45496a27.jpg)

On 2006-11-01 19:51, Benzart wrote:
I received a piece of Bass wood before the left coast oki oki that is 6feet by 12 inches by 12 inches and it is a Beautiful piece of wood. What will I do??

1 vote for bass wood! It's been too long since we've had a Big Benzart...(but make sure you work on the stones in between spells)

Nice one Ben. I knew you were a 'stoner' :lol:

Both are first class & beyond the reach of most working NZ carvers. Seriously; you aimed high & have achieved very good results for a 'young un'! heehee

Take a break if you must; I know your young woodies need you, but dont forget us rock-grinders mate. We'll be needing another Benz stone fix before too long...

Solid! Tama :)

Benz,

I say set the Lono aside and call him finished. Make the call and move on. He is fabulous as is. Put him on the shelf and walk away.

Now for what you should do next....jeeze....what is in your toolbox that we haven't seen in a while? Howz about a small Maori warrior done in mask-style like the bugger you did a few years back out of glued lumber and sold at Huki? That piece was great and I imagine you could up it seriously now. He would be bigger than the pendants, but not as big and brutal as a full-on BIG BenZart. Just and idea. Whatever it is, We'll all enjoy watching it come to life.

-Gman

"The saw is family"

[ Edited by: GMAN 2006-11-02 04:37 ]

Zaya, Thanks for the kind words, No, I'll NEVER have Insomnia like Buzzy, he Never sleeps, I think.
Bullet, thanks, but there will be No Bowing to Benzart, thanks though.
JP, it may seem like that but I actually worked on them Tuesday And Wednesday, I was just too tired to shoot any pic's Tuesday. The Jade is much harder stone than the beach stone, but being soft makes the beach pebble harder to form. Overall the Jade is more difficult for me.
Gman, thanks for the kind words and it was Great hearing from you last night on the phone. :)
Paipo, Yes, I think I will try to detetmine what to get out of that monster Bass wood plank, there are So many things it could become. And YES, there will be more stone work going on at the same time.
Tama, what can I say, I think it must be in my blood, Thanks for all the kind words, that is a lot to live up to. I'll be doing plenty "Stoner" stuff. I need to try to finish the first one I started, the Taiaha spear point jobbie.
GMan, Yes, Lono is finished except for the back of the mouth, I Must even that out a bit and do Something for a lanyard for him. I am ordering the rock book today so I can learn how tobraid them half correctly.. I Like the idea of the Maori warrior too, I'll see what comes out.
Actually I may not do much at alloo today, but tie up loose ends and plan, In Other words, just be lazy.

On 2006-11-01 19:51, Benzart wrote:
Well what am I gonna carve next? I just don't know.

I have one word to help you decide......KOA :)

Thanks T-Mec. I created loops for the rock and the Jade piece. Since I don't know how to do the braids yet, I used leather with the same type closure the boyz down-under use.



So I am officially finished with these guys and they are ready to go.
Here is one I might do next, not sure. I'm losing my voiceI guess from a cold that is gonna get me.

Everything looks very, very nice and very, very cool.

Who is next on the list and wants this beach stone taiaha?

...I'm not next on the list but I have to say that this beach stone taiaha is really beautifull!!! Congrats!

looks GREAT man. i havent been in touch here. i was missing your work alot.

Thanks Bete, my # 1 guy, always here!
Clarita, thank you too!
TikiDuddy, Where you been? Hope all's OK. Thanks for the props, been missing you around. Carve any new tiki lately? Thanks :)
Here is a couple different Moai I can get out of this slab

And this more expected version

Looks like Kingsey is getting the Lono and davez_Tikiz is getting the Stone Taiaha
Thanks guys Big time.

Wow Ben! As cool and clean as ever. I have a 6 foot piece of jade for you to carve. Can you have it ready by next weekend? :wink:

Sure Finkw, Bring it over and you can just wait for it and I'll have it done in no time.

WOW BenZ!

I've been away for a few day and noticed you passed a couple of stones! :lol: NICE work, but lay off the salt... that's gotta hurt to let those buggahs go?!?!

Just passing through, Flip-flOp-fLipPp...:D

Thanks TJ, yes It Hurts!

Well a paipo Stone spoke to me yesterday and today and here is the progress so far
Whatz it gonna BE?



He will be carved on both sides.

I'm watching and waiting... nice rock...

Nice work man. Loved the Jade lono :)

Here is after all day today, 20+ hours so far.





Still a Lot of clean-up. Too Addicting, how do you stay away?

[ Edited by: Benzart 2006-11-06 17:55 ]

DANG ben, i go away for a while and look at what you've done!! that stone moai is looking awesome!!! you are truely one of the best....the wood ones always look great and the stone & jade ones are too cool!! keep 'em coming!

Thanks T-50, More will come for sure.

On 2006-11-06 13:28, Benzart wrote:
Here is after all day today, 20+ hours so far.

Still a Lot of clean-up. Too Addicting, how do you stay away?

Sorry Benz - there is no hope for you now. You're discovering why I like carving this stuff so much, but there's always the temptation to just do a little more! It will hold as much detail as you want to throw at it. Just keep "sweeping" away, lighter and lighter (and dryer)...you're almost there!
Maybe I better get another parcel of these ready to go :)
Speaking of staying away, I'm hanging out to do some more pebble tikis, but commissions are keeping me tied up at the moment...

Holy Cow, that is fearsumely terrific. (I know that isn't a word)

I've been picking through my rock collection just itching to try this but 20 hrs is pretty D*(n intiminating.

JP

On 2006-11-06 13:28, Benzart wrote:
Still a Lot of clean-up. Too Addicting, how do you stay away?

Goddamn the pusher... Yep, looks like we've got another addicted stoner :lol:

Benz, that is one of the 'staunchest' little Moais Ive ever seen. Your previous experience has thrown you straight to the top of the stone-mountain!
We (most NZ stonecarvers) are very much stuck in a 2-D world down here, ie; jewellery/flatwork... Your grasp of sculpture is enviable to say the least!

Bravo! T3 :)

Thanks JP. Well, I Have thia bad cold and I really thought I wouldn't be getting ANY Carving done at all. So This little stone and I have been havin a conversation about me giving him a make over and I said I wiuld do it and he wanted it done Now,. Actually I have about 24 hours into him so far and he won't let me quit,,,bastard. That wasn't nice, but it Felt good.
Anyway, Thanks JP

Paipo, Ah Yes, ALWAYS the TEmptation to "Just do a little moooree" I think it's the ancients acting as "Pushers" addicting me to the Stoner wayz. Whatever it is, It has a hold and Won't Let go. Funny thing is, is you boyz (Paips and Tamma) Knew this coming in and Knew how it wood effect me this way and you just "Tee Hee,d" and "Haw,haw,d" all the way down here. Yep, That Ben guy, we got him fer shure, just feed him some green shit and stand back and watch him get all addicted. "yep, He'll be screamin for more rock by weeks end"
I See how you are!
The funny thing is that I am really enjoying this stuff and the comments from you guyz too. The stones are challenging to see how far you can push them. They really are like carving wood but different and the tools cost a LOT MOREDon't tell Sherry that part yet?
This guy is a Stubborn mother
Anyway, I don't know where I was, but Thanks for dumping all this stone and jade on me and getting me going. Who's gonna pick up the pieces at the end of the line?
HappyHappyHappy

Benzart wrote:[/i]

"Pushers" addicting me to the Stoner wayz...

Yep, That Ben guy, we got him fer shure, just feed him some green shit and stand back and watch him get all addicted. "yep, He'll be screamin for more rock by weeks end"

By the way Benz: the next package costs DOUBLE, you dig? :lol: TamaTheTrafficker

What can I Say? When you get Hooked, price is no object!
:)

That stone guy is awesome!!

Have the wood carvers lost you to the dark side? I'm just a little happy your doing the stone - because now all the rest of us wood carvers look that much better, without you setting the bar out of reach. Keep em comin.

Yes that´s right AlohaStation! If Benzart doing the stone, we wood carvers look that much better. That's just about the limit. The deployment is to fast for me. Stone !!! :o
But I´m also looking forwart to see one more wood carving.
They are so great. Thanks for your many efforts.

No Such Luck AS, I'm just visiting the Dark side and Actually it's pretty Bright. You will Still see plenty wood carved here but I Must make time to carve the green and black stones for sure. Thanks.
Fear not Haikay, you are going to see Plenty more wood pieces from Benzart, I can't let you guys off that eazy. It's just that this river rock and Jade did a number on me and it won't let go. I'm stuck with it for a good while, so I am a wood/stone carver. Thanks

Ben, those new pieces are looking nice!

Thats what I call A productive addiction! That stone is looking great!!!!

Thanks Bete, much appreciated,
Clarita, I don't know about the productive part, but the addiction part is Right on, Thanks.

The Stone Moai is finished with a hand plaited cord 11" on each side. Whoever is next on the listgets first crack.
I also started the same face out of wood about 3" tall and it will be carved both sides like the Stone guy.

Good stuff Moai-Man! That stone one is a cracker. There's just something so 'substantial' about stone, eh? The new owner is going to really FEEL it around their neck...
Chances are it will probably outlast them & turn up in a museum display in some unknown future (perhaps on the Mars colony/Earth 2, :lol:

Im really pleased you are enjoying the new direction, another notch in the belt Benz! The way you are firing them out, the Kiwi-boyz might just be teaching themselves out of a job, Doh!

At least I know you are a creative chap with his own ideas!

Tiki-God Bless. Tama :)

Thanks a lot Tama the Teacher, I owe it all to you two down under boyz.. I don't think you guys need to worry aboutme effecting your jobs, hell you guys have pounamu dust in your veins with a little blood. I try to do stuff that no one else normally does and hate to copy others work. I have made a few exceptions though so it does happen occasionally(see the WhaleRider). It is different and fun, this stone carving but My main thing is still wood, Theres just a certain magic there like the different magic of stone, but I have a TON on wood stuffed into every corner of my garage and I only hafe a few bits of stone by comparison and I'm gonna Carve it ALL! Ha. Thanks again

That guy turned out fabulously.

If you need any more beach stone, let me know I can mail you a bunch. I know you don't have many rocks down there.

JP

wow benz, i love the beach stone, and now the bigger wooden brother too! must be hard trying to match a style in a totally different medium. great stuff as usual.
will be watching and learning as always!

Thanks JP, I will look around here locally as we have Lots of landscapes bordered with Mexican River rock and it seems to be very similar to what Paipo has and maybe even harder. I know I can buy round flat stones 3 to 5 inches in diameter and over 1 inch thick. That large would need to be slabbed out for the most part and you lose the natural rounded shape, but I'm gonna go for it when I find it. A few years ago, i Tossed Out about 5 gallons of the stuff thinking I didn't need it any more. Thanks for the offer!
Harro, Thanks, I appreciate the kind words, keep watching and learning, thats how you do it and it's why we are all here. It's not too difficult trying to do an identical image in a diffrent medium, Think, but we'll see how this guy comes out to determine that. Thanks.

I'm really liking this new stuff. It is so like your previous work, yet very different. It's like getting a new flavor of Ben & Jerry's icecream.

Well it looks like the Stone Moai is making almost going full circle back home. It is going back to Australia to our own Mr harro. He should have a good story to tell. Love it.
Thanks Harro

Nice stone piece, Ben. Like the Rapa Nui stuff right now.

Aloha,

Hey Mr Benzart it's very nice work.
I've learned someting from you: your wood carvings are fabulous whereas your stone carvings are fantastic !!!

Are you wood carving too? Or is it in stand by for the moment?

Mahalo

Ben

Thanks BK, Appreciate the kind words.
Benella, thank you too. I forgot to post these pictures of the Wood Moai I have Almost completed.



I should finish him up today

I can't wit for tomorrow to see the new pics !