Tiki Carving Lesson in San Pedro 10/24/09

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/10/tiki-carving.html

Learn tiki carving at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
October 21, 2009 | 1:12 pm

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is holding a tiki-carving class this Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Master carver Jim DePompei will teach carving techniques and tool care while students work on their own palm wood tiki.

Attendees will also learn about the cultural history and significance of the wood carvings.

Open to anyone age 10 and older, no previous wood carving experience is necessary.

The cost to attend is $59 ($53 for members). Class fee includes a palm log, set of chisels, a mallet and a t-shirt.

Registration is required and can be done by calling (310) 548-7562. Class size is limited, so call early to ensure your spot as this class fills up quickly.

The aquarium is located at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro.

Cool idea! A great way to promote Tiki culture.

Hmmm: "Attendees will also learn about the cultural history and significance of the wood carvings."

Like that the Tiki pictured in the article was carved by Tiki Ray as a replica of the original Beverly Hills Luau logo Tiki, and was standing at the now defunct nouveau Luau?
Next: The cultural history and significance of the logo Tiki concept, with further examples. :wink:

Is Tiki Ray going to be carving there?! He's my fave!!!! :)

On 2009-10-22 08:37, Vischyssoise wrote:
Is Tiki Ray going to be carving there?! He's my fave!!!! :)

He's my fave too and you would think that whomever used the picture from The Luau restaurant would have thought to find out who the carver was to give him proper credits. Thanks to Sven for identifying the carver!

I attended this last year and had a wonderful experience. Polynesiac (Jim) is the teacher and yes, he does talk about the culture and history of tiki at the beginning of the class. He's a great teacher, giving lots of time showing how to strip off the bark and use the chisels. You get a palm log, mallet and chisels to take home, and a tee shirt too. I recommend this class very highly for anyone interested in trying their hand at carving! It was way fun!
Here's a couple of pics of Jim in action

And me with my tiki at the end of the day

Wow, I wasnt expecting that . The LA Times should give him credits with his own style of tikis . Jim is cool and been carving and creating tiki for years . If he can teach Carol to carve that in a day, my hats off to him . The LA Times I believe is to blame . They wrote a cool article but they should have researched HIS tikis to promote him . But they ran that Luau article last year and just posted the first tiki they found in their pics . Jim has a lot of original style tikis of his own and I still marvel at his glowing fish float lamps . Now, get out there and support the man . Then take the chisels home and start carving the pumpkins too . Go get em Jim !

I tried to register for this (as a party of 2) about a week-and-a-half ago.
At that point I was told that there was only 1 spot left (for a total of 10 spots).

Sadness. :(

EEEk! I had not seen that LA times posting (which just copied and pasted text from our calendar at the aquarium) and the picture is certainly NOT the one from our mailing. Good ID on the carving big bro! I tell ya, I wish I had the carving chops of tiki ray - his are one-of-a-kind true pieces of art, but they really should have done their research and acquired a picture of one of mine. I'm assuming they just used that picture because it was readily available to them?

Ray - I'm sorry you got thrown into the mix without proper Kudos to your work. Honestly, I had nothing to do with the LA times posting this and to tell you the truth I wish they hadn't. We filled up the class after the first week that it was advertised in our calendar, which is also why I didn't advertise it here on TC. Thanks for the kind words - you are top class in my book! (always have been too!)

Sorry about that Capt., hopefully time will allow another class in the spring or winter. I'll let ya know!

Thanks for the pictures kiki! You did do a great job on that tiki! it's all you!!!! (PS-Mieko was there helping out that day too!!!)

We've been offering these classes for several years now and have found that the small class size allows for more individualized instruction, which in turn gives more techniques to students and makes them feel more comfortable with their progress. I've found that 10 is the magic number and because people are paying for these classes I want to make sure that I am available to answer as many questions as possible.

If you're interested in possibly signing up for one of these carving classes, give me a PM with your email and I'll add it to our "waiting list" so we can email you first when we decide on another date for a class. You can have first dibs!

Polynesiac - putting the "F" back in "ART"

[ Edited by: Polynesiac 2009-10-22 14:18 ]

"If he can teach Carol to carve that in a day, my hats off to him"

Sooooo, what are ya sayin, Ray?!?! haha! :lol:
Well, I do have a fine arts background including doing a bunch of wax carving and casting for jewelry (thanks, Jim for saying it's all me!), but I had never carved palm wood before that day. It's a whole different thing, for sure, but even the youngest kid there (he was maybe 7?) did a good job with great instruction from Jim and help from Mieko! I learned a whole new respect for carvers - it's really hard work! My arms were sore as hell after that day from all the pounding with the mallet. I even bought a little workbench so I could work on it more at home, but alas, never got around to it. Still, I'm dern proud of that tiki head and he sits on my patio even now.

Sign up in advance, or get on the list for the next one. It's well worth it! :) Class of 10 was a good size. You really don't want more than that or you would loose the one-on-one time.

It's a shame they did not credit that beautiful tiki in the article. Ray's work is beautiful, and there are just so many carvers each with their own unique style! It would be awesome to get a class from other amazing artists like Ray, too! Soccer Tiki, what happened to your plan for a class? Let's do it!

Retro Modern Wahine ~ blog, etsy link, and more!

[ Edited by: Kiki von Tiki 2009-10-22 15:41 ]

On 2009-10-22 08:54, Kiki von Tiki wrote:
I attended this last year and had a wonderful experience. Polynesiac (Jim) is the teacher and yes, he does talk about the culture and history of tiki at the beginning of the class. He's a great teacher, giving lots of time showing how to strip off the bark and use the chisels. You get a palm log, mallet and chisels to take home, and a tee shirt too. I recommend this class very highly for anyone interested in trying their hand at carving! It was way fun!
Here's a couple of pics of Jim in action

And me with my tiki at the end of the day

Wow, you carved a real "Tiki von Kiki!" I like it!!!!!!!!!!

haha! Thanks, Lucas. That pic is after some of Marie's fabulous Lapu's and some excellent Hapa Haole tunes by the Smokin' Menahunes at Buster's! What an amazing day that was! Remember I had the tiki sitting up on the bar there? I met Soccer Tiki and Poly Pop that day too! One of my first days in the tiki world and I did it up right! Love you guys!

Damn it Carol, you took that wrong . For 1, its hard to see the tiki before you start and then just take away everything thats not a tiki .And 2 it shows how good a teacher he is to be able to show not only hands on but to visualise what your doing before you make the cut . You can always take it away but you cant put it back .

And Jim , newspaper people always screw stuff up and the general public wouldnt know the difference . But with the keen eye of Sven , this was brought up for all to see . I knew right off it was their mistake and you had nothing to do with it . Hell, I vended the Long Beach Tiki Fest only once but the very next year the local paper showed a picture of me carving at the fest and I wasnt even there . Jim is a great carver as well as a teacher and you deserve the compliments on your tikis . Now, can you send me one of your amazing glowing fish floats ? I like the red ones . P.M. me for my address . hahahahaha

I was playing with ya Ray! XOXO!