Paipo's Stone Tikis - 1st Thread - Jun 06 - May 08

That piece is smokin', P!! I'll agree with gman, that detail on the headdress really makes it pop.. Beautiful!

PERFECT! That additional rough texture on the headdress really finished it up PERFECT! Great Job on yet another CLASSIC!It makes me happy just lookin at it!!! :D :D :D

Thats a LOT of texture to add in there a dimple at a time,Whew! Another Excellent Paipo piece. The texture differences really set it off just right. Could we expect and get anything Different from you? Bravo!

Really dig that Lono, vertebral/ancestry column heading for the sky. Texture looks very organic, random and ordered...

Got my Paipo pebble today. Great to have it, cord length was perfect.

Grazi,
S
T

PAIPO, LOOK IN SHOUT!!!

Nice, I like the style on that one Paip. And you're absolutely right, it's real nice to work with hand tools and not power tools. More relaxing, more natual, almost like meditation. Just as long as I've got an electric sander for the big tikis! :lol:

This just goes to show that your never to young to sport a Marquesan made by the Masterful Paipo!

We all love it Paipo!! Huge Thanks!

That's awesome! The baby's protected by the spirits of tiki!

Well, back again...sorry about the slow response, but I thought I'd wait until I had something new to post as well.
Firstly, thanks to: Jen, G, FBalls, Kinny, Ben, hewey and surfin tiki...and extra special thanks to the new "Paipo Pebble Owner's Club" members Sneaky and Babalu! That lil' fella looks so cute - start em young! I'm always stoked to get some new work hanging around the necks of the TC Ohana.

Not too much tiki lately with the summer (in name only) season now fully underway. Shops, commissions and exhibition work are still keeping me very busy though. I had to do a couple of pieces for an exhibition submission using found/recycled/non-traditional materials, and decided it was a good excuse to revisit my first ever pebble tiki design. Robotiki V 2.0 or "Hei-Teki" as it is now known:

Companion piece to the above, "Broken Circuit". The components for both these pieces came from my late lamented TRS-80 pocket computer that my folks gave me back in about '82. I loved that thing - it stopped working years ago, so I figured it was only fitting that it live on in several new pieces of jewellery!

This is one of my favourite contemporary designs - I have made these using copper, paua, jade, jasper...anything works for an inlay when you have a nice perfect round stone.

That might be it for a while - I know some of you are interested in the other stuff I'm doing, but I'd prefer to stick mostly with my tikis (or at least Oceanic influenced work) in this thread. I will make a special tiki for Halloween before the end of the month, and may well get out another one or two....

Cheers!

:tiki:

I love the juxtaposition of a stone tiki with bits bits of computer :D

On 2007-10-04 21:39, hewey wrote:
I love the juxtaposition of a stone tiki with bits bits of computer :D

Thanks hewey - that is the whole idea of it really - the contrast between organic/natural/primitive and modern/synthetic. The concept came from daydreaming about a theoretical post apocalyptic tribal culture, using the shiny bits from all these "artifacts" of former civilisation as the organic equivalents were long extinct.

The jade lono turned out very beautiful I like a lot the contrast between the texture and the polish, very nice!
What a cute costumer you got there!
And Robotiki is your first pebble design? I like your creativity from the start then!!
BTW I was the misterios ustreamer at chongovision,I couldn't log in(don't know why),you almost crack me with the code brown hahaha!I'm still laughing every 5 hours :D !

WAY FRIGGIN COOL!
Robots must be in the air,with you and Brad tackling this genre!
Waht a clever use for a broken down item you loved!
Robotiki V 2.0 or "Hei-Teki" should be a hit at the show!
Your knowledge grounds you in traditional information,but your
creative artist's mind always seems to wander outside the box!
Bravo Rhys!!!! :)

Hi Paipo, I know it's been awhile but, I'm just getting into carving stone and I was looking for inverted cone burrs with concave tops like the ones you talk about in page 1 of this post. You said that all of your burrs are Honga burrs and I did a google search and can't find where I can purchase these burrs. I was wondering where you purchase your Honga burrs from.

Thanks in advance,
sar1

Hey Clarita, thanks for the comments on Lono - yep, I'm big on contrast finishes and textures, and I didn't wnat this guy to be smooth all over. The thing with the texture is always to finish the surface that will be textured up to the same level of sanding as the rest of the piece anyway, and then strip it back. The robotiki was my first pebble tiki, but it was several months later before I really thought about making tikis seriously. Here's a better pic of the finished Robotiki/Hi-Teki, which was accepted for the show along with the other piece, and is now in Auckland:

Kinny! RAWK! Still jealous about the Melvins mandate! It was hard to trash my little childhood buddy, but he will live on in several new pieces. I have all sorts of crazy materials and components, I just need to figure out how to use em. I was pretty pleased to sneak a tiki piece in to this show submission!

sar1, funny you should mention that burr, as I doubt I've even used it once since I made that first piece. I get my burrs from a couple of suppliers here in NZ, but I would recommend getting hold of Hongia directly to find out who their US distributor is - or working out how to import them yourself. There might be an opportunity for one of you US carvers to sort something out for the greater good. Their details are easy enough to find online.

Nothing much else happening here - work is sporadic, and when it does occur it seldom involves tiki. I will post this commission piece I finished, because I know Ben wanted to see it. Hope everything is OK with you Benz - you've been pretty quiet lately....

I've also been heading out during any breaks in the weather for a spot of beachcombing:

Another day, another trip - no beach photos due to the stormy weather:

The piece of flower jade didn't even strike me as being nephrite when I first picked it up. The soft black iron inclusions had been eaten away by the sand, creating wormholes which aren't often seen in jade. It was also very dull and dry looking because of the oxidation (rind). I almost left it behind!

This was the first time I have found more than one piece on the beach in a looong time...probably years? All the more fun for having my wee girl strapped on my back to take it all in! I can't wait til she's running around at beach level to spot all the ones I miss :lol:

Speaking of whom, we celebrated a 1st birthday recently. Many thanks to one of my favourite TCers who started off Miss Scarlett's mug collection in style!

Finally, to round out a totally off-topic non-tiki "fluff" post, here's a sunset for Buzzy!

I might have something new this weekend...stay tuned!

[ Edited by: Paipo 2007-10-26 16:47 ]

So much cool stuff in one post! Love that ying yang piece, its got style in spades :D gorgeous little girl, stunning sunset, and you can pick jade up off the beach - nice mate, very nice

Kia Ora Paipo!

Man I bet it feels good to be beachcombing and soon to be absorbing the warmth of summer. SsweeetT lines on your recent commission piece BUT I still think THIS--->>>
is still your best work EVER!!! :D

Happy 1st Miss Scarlett! :sheckymug: NICE MUG!!!

Hewey, funny you should say that - it's not meant to be a yin-yang in any way, shape or form, but the S-curve does give it that vibe. The two sides are quite different in size and don't mirror each other, but the photos suggest that. I had thought of having a jade pebble sitting in the smooth hollow, but after discussing it with the client we agreed it wouldn't look right, as it would have made an "eye" that would definitely made the whole thing look like a yin-yang! Ah well....
Cheers Jonesey! We are having plenty of fun with my "masterwork" now she's almost walking and getting into all my stuff. I am really grateful I'm at home so much and don't miss out on all the fun!
I got a couple of new pieces done - not the sort of stuff I'd usually post (because I make so much of it), but one of them is quite Polynesian in flavour and is also happens to be for a TC member. The plain one on the left uses some of a beautiful beach jasper I just cut on the weekend - one of my favourite finds. The colours are very intense and hard to capture in a photo.

Hey Paipo,

Your little Pumpkin Princess there is just a sweetheart! You are one lucky man indeed.

Really like this (what you call) other work...that one on the right side of the picture is my favorite. The direction is very interesting...past tiki textile print in stone and/or with inlay...cool fork in the road.

Woohoo! I am the TC'er who is getting the piece on the right with the traditional Polynesian tattoo flavor. I wanted to get something in an adze shape and have it be general enough in nature to encompass the feel from any Polynesian island rather than a specific one. Paipo/Rhys did a great job and I can't wait to get it!

Cheers Babalu and Blowfish. The Toki is in transit to the US P, so let me know when you get it!

Today, finally - a little more tiki.

After the marq mood, you come back with kind of super new stuff. Very nice

Ben

I got to agree, that one with the tribal vibe is sweet. Nice and subtle and understated.

Dude, that rocks! :lol: :lol:

Okay... that one's probably been used before, huh? :oops:

Does have a cool vibe, though.

That looks like it is just waiting to have something sticking out of its mouth! A jade tongue perhaps? Looking forward to the progress shots!

awesome work Brudda Paipo!!!

You are the MAN.

Thanks fellas, yes it is gonna be another tongue tiki - probably jade this time round. The shaping is all pretty much done and I'm in the middle of cleanup/sanding here:

Once that's done, I still have to figure the eyes, tongue, and whether or not to go with any surface decoration. Oh, and there's that thing stuck on the top of his head to sort out too...

It looks fabulous as it is, Paipo. You don't even have to finish it. Whatever you do come up with to finish it will be the icing on the cake.

Thanks Bowana. Sometimes I think just leaving them simple would work quite well once all the lines are cut and cleaned up.
This guy won't be too much more ornate than what it is now, which is good as the shaping has chewed up plenty of time. I find carving one of these is a bit like peeling an onion - how many layers to remove?

Hey Paipo. I may not comment on your thread too often, but I'm always watching and I'm always fascinated. (wow... that actually sounded soooo creepy!). I really dig your stuff.

On 2007-11-08 00:24, Paipo wrote:
I find carving one of these is a bit like peeling an onion - how many layers to remove?

And I bet that like an onion, if you're not careful, you may accidentally peel too much and it will make you cry!
I know I have. :(

oh! very nice!!

Ummmm...very nice as usual. Always a pleasure.

All done with the peeling! Thanks to Tipua, Clarita and Robin.....

G-shot:

Just waiting for the glue to dry, then the fun part begins.

Wow! Really cool! I like the little top knot!

Oh shi* that's freaking amazing! I ne'er seen a mutha' what could handle that mojo! Great work. :drink:

Oh my god !

Superb, man, superb.

Benjamin.

Smooth with the roughness, just serving justice!!! That is one cool piece!

On 2007-11-09 00:51, Paipo wrote:
then the fun part begins.

Oh yeah! A new classic.

That is just plain fantastic...

Even better :D!

Yes! Finished...finally! This was meant to be a quick piece, but the size and depth meant it became another full-blown epic - right up there in time spent with anything else I've carved. This is also the second biggest piece I've carved (next to #13 Tiki Kaitangata / Cannibal). I didn't want to do a whole lot of inlays either, but it just seemed to work out that way.

Topknot:

The pearl shell teeth are epoxied in, but the tongue uses a loop of cord which is braided into the suspension:

Thanks again Jen, Sneaky, Benjamin, tikifreak, JP, Blowfish and Clarita. This weekend is devoted to tiki, so #44 will be underway shortly. Any suggestions?

Great design and nice deep carves. The top of the head is a nice touch. It's all in the small details. Paipo rocks it again!

Dear Master Carver,
Are you asking us, simple mortals,for suggestions? With tears in my eyes I can only be thankful to see your work. You are amazing. Great carving.
Hugs,
Sebas

SUGGESTIONS????

Something in the Cubist style with a touch of Da Da might be interesting. Perhaps a removable tongue that can be easily replaced with different media . . . possum fur, dielectric glass, etc.

Wow, Paipo. That is so impressive!

I think the inlays were right for this one. The jade eyes and tongue really compliment the deep dark grey of the stone. Really, really impressive stuff.

This guy is ANother Way out front, Exceptional piece, a Super Paipo! I LOVE it when you start a "Just a Quick piece this time" piece because you Always spend Way too much time on it and it ends up becoming a "Super-Paipo" Piece. I guess when you don't plan anything extravagant it kind of sneaks up on you and takes over. I Love it when you are Out of Control. :lol: :lol:

On 2007-11-07 20:59, Bowana wrote:
It looks fabulous as it is, Paipo. You don't even have to finish it. Whatever you do come up with to finish it will be the icing on the cake.

That's not only the icing on the cake, that's the ice cream and cherry on top as well. Dang, Paipo!

Your are so a stud Paipo! This is one of my favorites.