Lake Tiki - 8/23/2013 - Red Cedar

Special pre holiday sale at Chef Shangri-La in North Riverside, IL
November 15th starting around 7 pm.
Lot's of new work from the 2009 Collection... many pieces that will not be seen on TC... only at this show and more next year!

Stop on down if you're in the area for drinks, food and lots more fun! A special Lake Tiki creation is part of the free raffle!

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2010-12-22 19:52 ]

Started something new today... knee deep into the Kona Style this month...

Special guest coming to the Lake Tiki studio/Hale Nalu this week!

The one and only... Traveling Jones!

We're off to Foundation for talk story Wednesday night.

You mean if I can't come up to your show I can't see some of your new stuff? That hurts, just when it was getting good and youare starting to have fun. I Really like this new stuff!

I am really liking the new stuff.

Are you milling your own boards for all the flat stuff? Or are you finding good material from the local Home Depot?

Awww Benz... I gotta keep some secrets for Hukilau! You'll be there next year I'm sure!

Tell you what, I'll PM you my top secret projects. :wink: Insider info!

Seriously though, I always tell myself I'm going to keep some secrets, then I end up posting the pictures anyhow.

You guys always win me over. :)

Thanks again Ben!

A.S I'm glad you're enjoying the new work! I am too, the work has been inspiring and hard to put down.

Big T, I am buying boards from a local mill. The quality can't be beat.

I've got a guy there that knows exactly what I'm looking for and he sets pieces aside for me when I need them.

Thanks again guys, back to work on this new one!

Hey, Lakes... great stuff as always.. Really love that Lono and Ku. The Chef Carving may be my fav, though.. I was just down in Chicago and visited Mrs. Fong and she told me about you settin up there.. Wish I did my thing a few weeks later.. Good luck with everything.. We'll have to connect soon~

Looking good lake as usual.

Freddie, thanks so much! Yea, wish you could have been down a couple weeks later for the Chef get together.
Would have been great to see you there and talk story.

Seeks, thanks for stopping by and dropping a compliment!
We're heading out here in an hour to go ride some sliders!
Surf's Up!

I had the honor of hosting Mr. Traveling Jones this weekend in my city, and we had a great evening at Foundation, Rendezvous and Hale Nalu with lots of conversation.

I was gifted this wonderful piece of artwork he had done.

The hidden talent this man has mixed with a genuine kind heart... Mr. Duane Jones you are one of a kind. Brimming with Aloha Spirit!

Many, many mahalos for this beautiful addition to Hale Nalu!

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-11-10 15:44 ]

That is a lovely piece of art you have there Lake - full credit to the artist.

It would look fantastic on any wall (I see a spot on mine right now :) )

You must be Stoked!

KS

"Open your heart to me slightly, and I will show you the World" The Zohar

[ Edited by: kiwishaman 2008-11-06 11:39 ]

Wow, that is nice. I NEED ONE!

Nice! makes me whant to carve that pic

I wanna drop da kind wordz about a Lake Tiki - Lake Surfer... Mahaloz for tripp'n me about your city, digg'n da tiki bars and spending wee hours talk story til da music died! :wink: Your mana is so strong and bright with ALOHA! My headz still reeling with exotic images hidden deep within the Great Lakes. To the masses, this is the land of cheese & beer... but I found bamboo, pupu and papaya's inside the mysterious shadows of Foundation and Rendezvous. MAHALO for your kindness, sharing Hale Nalu, sneek peek at your carves, meeting da wahine and gathering ohana for my Milwaukee exploration.

Kind, visionary & charmed... tiki breathes through your soul, into your hands, and for our eyes to enjoy. Thanks Dave.

Check out da big buggah, who bummed a ride back to DC with me! :D I proudly display this Charmed Tiki of da Lake in my Taonga Rahui, SsweeetT! :D

Jonesey,

He looks quite happy in his new home. :)

Many mahalos again!

It was an honor hosting you, and I am glad you enjoyed your tiki time here!

I just finished up one of the projects my wife wanted for our living room which isn't tiki, but tropical/palm tree themed.

21" H x 11" W

I've got some ideas floating around in my head for some other carved tiki things along these lines.

Nice Lake classy looking leave carve. Me Like!

Beautiful and original carve. You have some mad skill.

Ditto Grapa-Ruha, very original idea and very well done.
Bravo, I love it.

Benjamin.

Seeks, Grapa-RuHa and Benjamin thanks for the great compliments! Much appreciated!

Trying some different things keeps burnout at bay for me and new cuts on this piece will add up to new cuts on the next tikis!

As I mentioned, I've already started on some things that can be used as great tiki decor without actually being tikis themselves.

More to come!

ls
really like the leaf,you make
such a simple design come out so awsome

Thanks buzzard for the compliment!

My poor wife waited long enough for this, always put on the back burner for more tikis! :wink:

I am working on a smaller one to compliment this one... then its back to tikis!

Yo Lake!

We grabbed a couple of pictures of your masks at Frankie's this week

This view is from the bar, looking towards the bumper pool table and restrooms. The painting with the glare is a Doug Horne. The jukebox is on the far left

One on each door:

Men's room door:

Women's room door:

Buzzy Out!

Buzzy!

Many thanks for the pictures!

Nice to see them in their new environment!

After hearing where Ben was going to put them, it made me take a second look at them and come to the realization that indeed they did look male and female!

A little Bamboo Ben lipstick application to bring the point home, and ta da!

Cold and snowy December.

Damn cold.

It is 6 degrees right now.

I'm hunkered down in the studio tinkering with some new ideas for next year.

I had a fun show this past Saturday up at Foundation Tiki Bar, the place is really looking great and I'm proud to be their resident artist.

Just wrapped up work this past weekend for the Online Tiki Art Show that took place last night.

A genius idea by Cammo!

Here's one of the pieces I created... the Fire of Fatu Hiva.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-12-16 10:03 ]

a masterpiece. i can see myself displaying a mug on it by day, then replacing it with candle at night ....awsome,awsome,awsome

The photography of your pieces is always every bit as good as the carvings themselves. Do you do it, or have a pro shoot them?

Lake Surfer, I love your work and look at everything you post because I love the medium you use and wish to advance to similiar work in the future. The last piece you posted makes me want to carve that sumbitch out of palm. OK.------------------ I'm gonna do it soon. I saved that picture and when I get the perfect log I will. Damn that is cool. I would love to own it. Well?

hala bullhiki, thanks very much! A good idea, and many of those I have considered already. :wink:

4WDtiki, thank you also! I shoot my own photos, sometimes through trial and error. :wink: I keep a portfolio of all the work I do also.

Tucson Tiki, thanks for your kind compliments! This piece was created for the Online Tiki Show here on TC and is going to a good home!

This piece is a masterpiece !
The picture with light and shade shows how perfect it was made because light and shade do not lie !

Bravo,

Benjamin.

Again a great idea with the Tiki holding the candle. That would look awsome in any home.
Keep up the great ideas, not to mention the excellent execution.

Benjamin, thanks so much for the compliment! This one turned out well, and the others to follow will be even more refined I'm sure.

Grapa-RuHa, thank you also for your kind words! I've got to get cracking and get one of these done for my own home now that it turned out so well.

Finished the Ku pictured in progress a couple pages back...

Hoping for a slow week of work so I can get some more projects started!

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-12-21 01:52 ]

KUel KU Lake, Perfect fit for your current series. I Love how you have brought so many traditional pieces into this series and done them so well.
Merry Christmas!

Mele Kalikimaka to you Ben!

Thanks for the comps on the Ku! He was a lot of fun to carve!

We are sending you some of our cold winter this week, should be there by Christmas! :wink:

-2 today for a high... windchill -35.

Thanks Lake and Send it Priority Express Airmail,overnite asap, we NEED some cool weather down here, I'm Sweating too much and it's too hot to work. Coool us down! :P :D :lol:

Nice Lake always love seeing you fine work.

Yes, the weather is crazy here also snow for over a week?

Ben, you should have gotten that cool weather by now. :) Hope it did the trick!

Seeks, thanks again!

The wacky weather continues here. After being in the deep freeze for 2 months and getting hammered with 40 inches of snow, Sunday will bring us 50 degrees and thunderstorms.
The it is back to the regularly scheduled winter.

Anyhow, Santa brought me a new table saw which will help me create some great new work that I brainstormed this week.
These creations will be very cool when finished, I'm not sure when I will reveal them yet. :wink:

Cool Lake, 40 inches wow! The Seattle area has had more snow than
i can remember. Crazy weather this year is right.

On 2008-12-26 10:44, seeksurf wrote:
Crazy weather this year is right.

No kidding, Snow and ice yesterday, thunderstorms and 60 degrees today.

Nice carves, show us more of the Lake style.

2009!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I've been chopping at wood since 2001 now, and I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone out there for their great support over these years!

I really appreciate all my great customers and fellow artists who have given me so much motivation and inspiration to be the best that I can be.

2008 was a really fun year, and I had a great time meeting so many of you at events around the country or becoming a part of your tiki paradise at home!

I am very excited about 2009... the ideas I have and the work that is already flowing from my mind and hands.

I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones this year at many of the exciting tiki events around the country!

To all of you, all the best in this New Year, and a big Mahalo!

Dave
Lake Tiki

That picture is awfully tropical for this time of year??

A.S.

I'm thinking happy tropical thoughts.

Here in Milwaukee there is a foot of snow on the ground and the temperature is -8.
Windchill around -35.
Lake Michigan is full of icebergs.

Winter or no winter, there is still wood to carve. Not much of that lately... I've been working with a friend for the last month and a half remodeling a 1920's home.

Plenty of time to brainstorm ideas and come up with new things to create!

Wednesday we put the wraps on the house and its back to full to part time carving!

I've got a stack of wood ready to go and have been stockpiling materials for a very special collection of tiki creations I will start on very soon!

I've have managed to eek out some pieces over the last month in addition to a handful of custom orders I created. Two of my works found their way to the UK and Berlin, Germany. Thanks again to Steve and Markus! Two more pieces landed on each end of the United States... The Pacific Northwest and Central Florida. Many mahalos to Andy and Rob!

Here's a guy I just finished the other day... Kaanapali Ku

23" H x 11" W

More fun stuff coming soon!

Gotta keep moving to stay warm!

Thanks Lake for the New Year Wishes and letter. I certainly hope 2009 is great for you and I'm definitely looking forward to the new stuff you will be offering.
I would love to see you pull out all the Stops and take Just One piece to the nth degree of detail that you can possibly do to it. I believe you would surprise yourself while I think we would look at the wonder and say "We Knew you could do that"!
Happy New Year.

Mahalos right back at you, Dave. Having admired your work as a spectator for years now, I'm stoked to finally own a one-of-a-kind piece of your art - & we're excited to add more!!! Sounds like you've got some exciting things up your sleeve for 2009- can't wait. Your new KU looks just great- cool personality.

Keep those mitts limber! My melancholy memories miss those brutal Wisconsin winters, but you've got the reality of it~ stay warm, man!

CHEERS TO MILWAUKEE & all the very best to you in 2009, Dave~

Andy
http://www.myspace.com/tikijoesocean

Got a light? :wink: The new guy is great again and it's great to hear some of your work has landed here in Europe. I hope summer returns soon for you, a -35 windchill is no joke and no fun. Last week we had some freezin but it just meant we could go out and skate on the canals for the first time in 12 years. I saw some ice surfers out on the frozen water going 60MpH. Have a great year with lots of surf.
Mahalo,
Ruha.

Right On Lake! Happy New Year back!

Looking FWD to seeing and feeling your carving stoke this year.

Hope you get more than your share of waves on that fresh
water pond of yours in the next 12 months also.

Many thanks back at you guys for your kind compliments... Ben, Andy, Ruha and Seeks!

Continued work this past evening on a new Lono I think you all will like.

I spent a good part of the day out collecting and purchasing supplies for my new projects... which I have to get back to drawing after this post! :wink:

Benz, things will be pushed, and I think you'll see that in this next series, which I think will have to have a new name. Some super detail on a very small scale!

Many thanks Andy, things have gone into a deep freeze, but we look to rebound into the mid 30's next week! Heat Wave!

Ruha, skating on the canals sounds like fun! Sounds like many of us have our own winter trials and tribulations around the world!

Seeks, here's to hoping the carving stoke spreads some warmth around the country! I took a drive past the lake today and things do not look good. Have not seen this much ice out to the horizon in 10 years. It may be April before I log any water time! But thanks for the stoke!

Fun stuff coming soon!

We gather in their hallowed halls to imbibe in tropical drink, enjoy a luau and soak up the history.
Many still survive, most live on only in photos and a discovered menu.

They are the tiki bars and restaurants, the homes of the Poly Pop Movement.

Lake Tiki now pays homage to these sacred places in a new form of art...

The Tiki Temple Collection

Exclusively at Tiki Oasis 2009

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2009-03-04 23:36 ]