Lake Tiki - 8/23/2013 - Red Cedar

your canoes and new poles look killer, Lake! can't wait to see the poles lit up at night.

Flat Black... not even 2 weeks out of the year.
I own 4 different thicknesses of wetsuits, two different pairs of gloves, two different pairs of booties, a 2 mil hood and three different types of rashguards.

greentikipat, I really appreciate your compliments! I've heard lots of great things being said in the city about all the new decor at Foundation. Makes all the work very rewarding!

Lake, finally did make it to the beach after work...

Now, lets get back to the OTHER carving!

Lake - amazing new work you're churning out. those canoes are totally awesome!!!!! I love the swirls in the canoe - I didn't notice them the first time I looked. It's those little bits that really make your work POP!

You and Danny are really raising the bar.....

great surfin pics too - you guys are nuts for surfing such cold water...even if it is spring!!!! (I actually want to try surfing the great lakes sometime)

Dam! Lake & surfintiki I see Surf! NICE! Wish i was out there.
Now I'm daydreaming at work now. I gotta get away from work soon.

surfin... glassy!

Tops my session the other day... looks like some juice!

Polynesiac... thanks a ton! I sat and pondered what to put on the canoes for days, experimenting with different patterns and designs. I wanted something subtle, yet complex. Sometimes I think I over think things, but the outcome is worth it.

C'mon up sometime! We'll get you in the water here! We're just so stoked to get waves we never think of the cold. I gotta laugh, I was surfing at HB Pier last October in a rashguard and trunks. People thought I was nuts. So which is more nuts... surfing here in 34 degree water in a 6/4 or surfing in 55 degree water in trunks and a rashie? :wink:

seek, go get you some surf!

I'm working on some custom canoe orders for the next week or so... basic stuff except for the Marquesan one that Jonesey ordered... that one's different. I'll post up some pictures of that one next week, then its back to some new stuff I want to make.

Is one of those canoes for GROG?

[ Edited by: GROG 2008-03-27 23:09 ]

Aloha Grog, thanks for stopping by!

I've got your canoe order in with a few others I'm working on... so yes. Sent you a PM. Thanks again for your interest!

I spent the day making little Marquesan and Tangaroan voyagers, so many I'll see 'em in my sleep tonight. :wink:

Have a good weekend everyone... Updates when the sawdust clears in my studio! :)

Damn Lake, I take a few months off, come back and see your knocking out some killer stuff (as always) Those canoes are TIGHT!

Andy, good to hear from you! Thought you fell in a hole somewhere.

Thanks for the compliment on the canoes, they are a hoot to make.

I'll give you a call this week.

I always like what you post - I can see some influence from the old-school decor guys like witco and OA, but mostly it's just Lake Surfer. You've definitely got a distinctive but still classic style to all your tikis no matter what culture they're based on. How cool you've got a local bar that appreciates your talent and you can really go to town decking the place out!
The waves have been nice round these parts lately - I just wish I wasn't so busy that I could check it more often. I've still managed to sneak in some fun sessions on either side of the rivermouth in recent weeks...I'd normally be looking at my 5/4/3 and hood around now but it still feels like summer here. If this is global warming I'm gonna start burning coal again!

Paipo, Your kind compliments are much appreciated! The overall goal of my carving is just to have fun with everything. The more fun you have, the more it shows in the work I feel.

I really would love to have a go at that rivermouth of your's. Looks like a really fun spot! I missed out on waves yesterday evening... conflicting reports from the other side of town led me to believe there wasn't anything surfable... I found out otherwise today... should have made the drive. The county I live in is a big bay on the lake and depending on if the wind is north or south we travel to the most exposed spots. We're still in 6/4's with hoods and boots. Hopefully by May I can switch to the 4/3 and move a bit more freely. :wink:

Here is a variation on a theme... Mr. Traveling Jones asked me to carve him up a canoe, but he had some special requests. I learned a lot about Marquesan canoes through this project, and between my research and his ideas I have a lot more I'd like to do with the canoe series in the near future!

Nice Lake, very classy work way to explore and expand your talents.

Me still dry, all work and no play makes for a dull boy.

Looking Sweet Lake! Keep up the nice work my friend and get in the water.Going surfing tommarrow morning when i get off work here at the firestation.Will be in Grandhaven at the Beach 4th of july week.Hopefully you'll get some sumer sun soon, Aloha, Jimmy Mooney

Excellent work, every detail is very refined. The contrast of white and dark colors makes the whole thing looks perfect.

Benjamin.

seek, thanks much! Get yourself out to the coast and get some waves!

Mooney, thank you! I should put you in touch with some of the local guys in G.H. Ol' Doc will talk your ear off about Great Lakes Surfing. Ask J. Fox about him sometime. :wink:
Summer is a great time here on Lake Michigan and you should have a lot of fun. Hopefully Spring will get here soon. :wink:

Benjamin, thanks! They are still tedious work, but get a little easier each one I do.

Being a photo minor, I should take better pictures. :wink: There is contrast in the colors, but that is a terrible picture. I have to do some tweaking in Photoshop and post a new one... the bright sun kinda washed things out.

i like the prow on this one Lake, and whats that at the back???

do all these canoes have the same pattern carved on them - its simple but very effective. how do you get all the patterns to be exactly the same on each canoe (and each little dude?) - what tools are you using? I have trouble getting one side of a face to look like the other, let alone doing 4 little guys all identical!

Dang Lake, that is looking SO good. I love it. All of it. The surfer in me loves the design on the side of the hull, kinda surf-graphics-ish. Reall cool.
I hear ya on the photo thing, I minored in photography too...so much we have in common! Too little time to do perfect photography, when you're spendin' all your time carving!!!

harro, the canoe is based on traditional Marquesan canoes with a Marq face on the prow and a Marquesan tiki strapped to the back.

"There was a conventional figure head, which was apparently always used at the forward end of the bow piece, consisting of a flattened conventionalized face. "There was a tendency to decorate the neck of the bow piece with figures carved in high relief or by the attachment of separate pieces." "A small tiki figure was sometimes but not always attached to th e tip of the stern piece" (Linton).

The pattern is basically the same on most canoes... I sketch it on. Same with the tikis, they are sketched in pencil before carving.

surfintiki... thank you very much Sir. I spent a ton of time sketching designs and researching Oceanic art patterns and tatoo. I've got quite a few cool designs I hope to use on some other projects. I think I spent more time this winter researching and sketching than I did carving, but now it is time to put it all to use.

great canoes, love the details in the paddles.

Aloha Lake! Come on brother we want to see more lake carvings! I'm glad you got some surf and hopefully more real soon, I'll be bringin our family Truckster longboard (triple stringer 11fter)to michigan to surf with our kids It can catch a ripple and ride a family of 4 and a habatchie grill while tapping a keg of beer (pretty floaty to say the least)ha ha ha and another board.Keep up the cool carvings my friend, Aloha, Mooney

frostiki... thanks much! Detail is everything! :wink:

Mooney, sounds like you're coming well prepared, and with a little west wind this summer you may get some waves to ride on the 'ol lake.

We're staring down the barrel of one hell of a low pressure system. Looks like 40 knots winds from the east going southeast on Friday.
Surf on Friday here for sure along with 3 inches or so of rain.

Back to tiki though...

With a clean and organized studio, I started in on one of the Marquesan panels I have ready for carving. This is the big one, I have another one a little less than half this size.

More carving Thursday...

Lake, you and Tikimecula are blowin' me away with the detail. You guys embody patience. Good stuff.

Aloha Lake!!! WOW my friend that panel is gonna be excellent. Once again your one not to dissapoint!!!Aloha, Mooney

Many thanks Vic!
I just put the IPod on and go... just me and the wood... kinda puts you in a trance.

Mooney, thanks much! You asked for more to see, so I had to get busy. :wink:

This buggah is done... time to put the finishing moves on it this evening.

wow.

Beautiful work.

(Excuse the spelling if i mess it up)
That is Spectacular piece of art my friend! I'n Awe down here in florida.Nicly done Lake,Aloha, Mooney

wonderful piece. Details very refined.

Benjamin

Good stuff, Lake. Can't wait to see more.

Man, that is some impressive detail work. Those figures on either side are quite hypnotic. What's the go with these - are they just going to hang on a wall, or are they part of something bigger?

Top Shelf, Lake. Is that going to hang in your bar or someone else's??

Dave, hurry up and finish that panel. I'm sitting here drooling as I wait to see the final product. Great work, love the style on this one.

Lake- That looks superb! Tight detail is mesmerizing. Love it!
Have fun in the water, I sliced my shin deep from my fin, last saturday, should of gotten stitches...didn't. Still bleeding! Gotta stay out of the water for a while.

Lake, I am Really Happy to see you getting down to the nitty=gritty with the detail. I Knew you had it in'Ya and it was just a matter of time till it came out. Keep up the Fine work!

You guys rule.

Thanks a ton!

Paipo, these are just wall hangings. I have some ideas floating around... I wanted to see how the carving turned out before I shop around for an application.
So, eventually I plan on some bigger things to come.

tikimecula, I'm trying not to look at it too hard. Then I will want to keep it for myself.
But the plan is to put them in inventory. Probably Hukilau if they last that long. I always say I'm going to carve stuff for myself, then I get distracted and come up with new things to carve.

frosty, wipe up that drool. They're all done. :wink:

surfin... yipes! Watch those fins!
I had someone run me over in Florida once while paddling out. Ducked under a wave and next thing I know I had a fin slice through my calf. Decided the wise choice was to get out of the water rather than troll for sharks. Hope you heal up soon!

I didn't surf today... we got 2 inches of rain yesterday and our wonderful sewerage district couldn't handle the stormwater, they've been dumping 100's of billions of gallons of combined sewage and storm water into the lake. I'll pass, the waves are blown out anyhow.

So, here's the finished panels... no sunshine today so glamor shots will have to wait. They've got a light coat of satin poly drying on them.

Thanks again everyone!

Benz, thanks much... you snuck under the radar there while I was posting. :wink:

Since April is "Share you Workspace" month, here's some shots of what the humble home of Lake Tiki is looking like...

Right around the corner from Hale Nalu
is the carving studio. Drinks are for after I'm done using power and sharp tools. :wink:

Work area

Some small cedar logs and storage for hand tools, hangers and nails.

The other side is a storage unit for chisels and shelves of scrap wood, stains and paints.

Yo Lake, how did you get all those cedar logs to be so cleanly debarked, and sitting so happily in your carve shop?

WoW Lake, that is spectacular Marquesan panel very nice work.

Love the drain pipe right dab in the center there.

surfin... lot's of sweat and muscle. :wink:

I had a stack of logs in the yard last summer that I debarked with the drawblade, sanded smooth with the angle grinder and cut to size with the Black & Decker Navigator.
They are well seasoned and ready to go.

Seek, thank you, the panel was a lot of fun to carve. The drainpipe.... not the greatest place for it but that's where they put it when they built the house. I work around it, it doesn't get in the way much unless I'm working on a big log. I'm just glad to have the space to work in that I do with the type of winter climate I'm in.

Aloha Lake! Nice carving area and a heck of a stack of logs to work on and create more cool carvings from you.Aloha Mooney

Mr. Mooney, thanks again! You're doing some great looking work yourself!

The sawdust has been flying here, a month to go before Hukilau and I'm in the home stretch with all the work that I want to have done for the event.
Most of my flatwork is done, I want to get cranking on some tikis and then neckware and that should bring me right up to the beginning of June.
The remaining time will be spent designing my booth.

I was finally able to finish up a couple pieces I've been brainstorming for a few weeks.

The Voyager.

22" W x 18" H

Another nice one Lake, I really love your "flat work." You have really
found a niche with these, need to me come along to Hukilau and carry your
money?

Nice Lake love the swirls on the side of the boat like a refection.

Conga and seeks, thanks guys!

I swear I spent more time making and sewing the sail then I did carving. I'm finally gettin' pretty handy with a needle and thread. :wink:
Maybe ready to start making my own Aloha Shirts.

that's damn cool Lake.....I want one.... want to trade?

Really cool stuff lake. 2X is the size shirt I will take! Ditto Conga in the Flatware is looking great.

Andy and Benz, thanks so much guys.

Ben, maybe if I get started now I can have that shirt done by Hukilau. :wink:

Andy, these guys are going down south with me, but I'd be up for a trade afterwards when I get caught up with things.
I'll let you know.

They're just a couple pieces I had to let out of my head so I can fill it up with more crazy ideas. :wink:

I might be seeing ya down there too!