Conga....Wisconsin stuff!

That is some radical cutting. A very unique path you are taking.

thanks Raffer....it is a crazy path that I seem to stumble along....can't seem to help it.
Really impressed with all the recent postings...especially that Crazy Al tiki....I guess he
kinda raised the bar on us again....Well...anyway...here's the latest from up north...finishing
up most of the detail stuff and getting ready to stain....
Here's ole "Lizard Belly"

and some top detail

and a little arm detail


These are final pics before the stain/chalk/aging process...this one will also get spashed with
a little paint on the face and the lizard. Will check in soon. Thanks to all.
It's really frickin' hot up here....high 90s...pretty unusual for the northern range but it
won't last for long....

Conga,

The details you have added look terrific. The small hook details really add to the overall look and that lizard is a great addition! This is a wonderful carve you have going. Keep pushing forward. I can't wait to see him finished up and in all his glory in the Conga Room! But don't rush him; keep going until you are REALLY sure he's done. Sorry I missed this post earlier. Great stuff goin' on here!

-Gman

thanks GMan my friend....how's that head-cut healing?
Work is going very well up here in the land of exotic chizzlin...stain is on...both lizards
are carved and one is painted...and we're getting ready to "chalk" the detail cuts.
Hope to have finished pics in a few days...you could even go on a hunger strike and
not starve!

Conga, you are really going all out on this guy and he really shows it. This guy is headed for greatness!

AWESOME!!!

All though I have to admit that it kinda freaks me out.

Ladies and gentlemen...how about a warm Tiki Central welcome for the Congatiki Birdman...










thank you all for your kind comments and for looking again!!!

I see the bird man has been eating stinky little lizards. COOL. This guy would really look great in ZMY office!

You pulled out all the stops on this guy! Love it. The finish looks like you just pulled it out of the jungle from where it was adored and revered.

What's next?

JP

The finish is awesome! This is a Conga Masterpiece!!

Mahalo

Mc

The Birdman is classic. The finish really makes the piece extra cool. Can't wait to see the next one.

Xtra cool! This guy has to be in my top ten fave carves on this entire forum!

great job conga!!! it turned out really good. i love the finish you did on it, it looks awesome!! GREAT JOB!!!!

Excellent! Love the way the finish turned out. You're the Mad Scientist of us tiki guys...keep it up! Nothing you do looks like anything else going on right now. Shine, shine, shine,...
Brightened Buzzy Out!

Conga,

I don't know what to say...it's magnificant! I love everything you did. There's so much to look at and so much variation in the staining/coloring. Wow! What a cool piece. As folks have said above, it looks like it was just recovered from the jungle of some far off place. I love this....

-Gman

That's such a cool looking piece - the body and posture look a little PNG, the eyes remind me of a Marquesan U'u and the overall finish really gives it touch of antiquity. I love the skinny elongated body.
I also agree that has that real authentic "heathen idol" vibe. Great work!

[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-07-20 19:37 ]

You got a real talent, Mr. Conga! A natural! Keep on keepin' on!

A-A

Mahalo to all of you...Birdman is honored to receive your compliments! This has been a
fun piece to spend my spare time with...thanks for noticing. I am not sure what will be
next...I'm sure it will be big....and I trust it will fit into what seems to have become
the "conga niche." Now I have to take some "dream potion" and see what comes out!

"dream potion" = Pearl Jam !!!

Damn, Conga...you popped that sh*t like a shoeshine rag! Awesome, highly creative work. Trying to do art without being repetitive or plaguristic in some fashion is tough, but your mind works from point A to Z (Tiki Robert Pollard?); you're an open channel. Some of the most interesting, original stuff here, man...

On 2006-07-21 06:43, McTiki wrote:
"dream potion" = Pearl Jam !!!

How about Minnie Pearl Jam? Eddie Vedder in a squaredance dress with a granny hat and a string tag?

W O W !! Conga, that's amazing! Not only is it inspired/creepy/cool, it's downright BEAUTIFUL!

Well done my friend. The updates just kept getting better and better. The finished birdman is tres cool! Conga-grats!

:o Truly amazing, and completely original! I'm definitely going to have to ask you for some advice on finishes, because yours are always so nice. You've outdone yourself!

Conga,

I'm back looking here again....boy do I like what you did with this guy. Excellent!

-Gman

Basement said: "How about Minnie Pearl Jam? Eddie Vedder in a squaredance dress with a granny hat and a string tag?"

Me no think so!

That's a buzz kill braddah!

LOL!

I love this place! Such Mana flow here!

Mahaloz

Mc

Pearl Jam=Buzzkill...I mean like bad. Those guys should listen to more Hasil Adkins and Link Wray. Go lowbrow. Drink cheap bourbon instead of Starbucks. Pop some blues and go to the Who show....

CongaTiki!
Freakin incredible! The more I look at the threads the more in awe I am of your vision! Your carvings are definitely "you" -never seen that liveliness and animation! Way to go! Wisconsin should make you their carver laureate! Thanks for sharing so much!

Simply beautiful work. I can't get over how awesome it is. that finish is just amazing.

what's next?

Damn Conga, I Really love how much your work has blossomed here recently, ever since you started to do PNG stuff, you have just plain gone crazy.. " Crazy Conga" is gonna be yer new name. I don't think you have been carving for even 2 years yet, how'd you get so good so fast? Can't wait tom see what your next one will be.

Well thank you all very much...
Ben...you're right...started carving in fall of 04...the PNG style allows me to "let things flow"
without bastardizing a style of familiar tiki...If I plan things out too much I just get in trouble...

Basement/McTiki...I missed that whole Pearl Jam thing...do they have a tune called "Dream Potion?"
I am primarily into Exotica and world music now...I love the Eddie Vedder song with Nusrat that is
on the "Dead Man Walking" soundtrack...and I really like "Last Kiss."

Silverline/8 Foot/Finky/GMan/LittleLostTiki/Poly...appreciate the kind words...I also like the
finish I achieved on the last couple...everything I know was channeled through BK...once
again...lots of sanding...moderate torch burn...stain....my little chalk trick....and a
light workout with furniture wax....and a little dirt tossed in for good measure.

Now I need to get more basswood.

Conga - Excellent work! Your originality is high class.

i really dig this one nice work

conga another insane carving insane as in really really cool!!! cant wait for the next one

Many many thanks GAP...Marcus and Keigs....I appreciate your visits to Congaland....Seems
like I am going to stick with the PNG style for one more...have plans for a large headed
fella perched on an orators chair....I hope it's something I can get done by labor day but
I have a vacation coming up so that might push me a bit later into September. Gotta go to work.
Thanks again...

Who authorized a Vacation?? I don't think there is time enough for you to take such liberties. Your next carving demands your utmost, Unterrupted, participation and leaves no personal time for anything but the utmost bare personal needs! Check with management after 30 days! Until then, cancel all travel and leisure plans that have been made.
Sincerely,
The Management

alright alright...Conga lives! Still waiting for BIG basswood so I started making a
pendant...but it's a big pendant! Actually it will be a mask...lotta work to do yet...

Conga,

That looks so like your stuff :) ....but that's gonna be one mother of a pendant. You will need a big old gold chain to hold up that bling-bling! I can't wait so see where you are going....is the back gonna get hollowed out?

-Gman

Paupuan Gulf image? Cool stuff. I'll send you a picture of a real Yam Harvest festival board I have from the same area. Your PNG stuff is superb, Conga.

man does that look good. keep posting for us

yippee! he's at it again!

Yes, the sleeping giant awakes!. Conga ROCKS!. Glad you finally started another one Conga and he looks like he is going to be another cool piece.

Once again, I ask how I can call myself a carver when there are guys like Conga around...

You kick ass!

Another fine piece in the making! It's been too long since your last one, I was getting worried! I'm hoping that you took a carving break to record the next Mensters album?

YAHOOOOO...found a source for some big basswood logs that I will scout and purchase tomorrow
morning...watch for a BIG Conga that will certainly match my tendency for exotic carvings...in
the meantime i gotta keep working on this latest project....
Thanks much to all of you...Benzart(always the inspiration)...GMan (I am planning to do some hollowing onthe backside cuz it's pretty heavy for a mask)...BK (your knowledge of this stuff is incredible...my reference
actually is a Papua Gulf piece that I found by googling images)....Kapu (thanks for the
comps--keep chizzlin')....TikiDuddy and Kingstiedye (glad to be back...thanks for noticing)
and my buddy Finky (yes...have been doing some Menster recording...only a few tracks this
summer...you will get a copy of this summer's efforts.....another month or so to flush things
out). Appreciate your comments...will get some updates up this weekend.

"Bout time you went back to work Slacker.. Are we going to have to come up there and chain your foot to the carving bench?? Don't let any of us sneek up on you once you get your logs, Or the chain's ON that Leg.

Sweet start, Conga. I'm lovin' the PNG stuff more everyday--part of personal tiki-evolution, I suppose. I'm watchin', keep hackin'.

thanks for pushing Ben and thanks for liking my stuff Surf-n-Turf....
Not sure if anyone every travels back in time...but I noticed a number of pics in my first
six pages were mixed up by shutterfly....I deleted many of them and will attempt to do a
little "old school conga" composite post within a couple weeks. Gotta go chipping for now.