Conga....Wisconsin stuff!

Hi Surfin....
I usually like shorter names...but...I had to get the tiki thing into the theme. Still a
chance that we could go further with the concept :) Not much chance for a longer title.

!!! HOLY FRIJOLE Pedro !!! :D

Happy New Year Amate...I love your latest!
Gonna wrap up an actual tiki this weekend and then I have
some plans for a couple of large pieces in 2012.
Till then it's just me'n'Pedro.

I like the fact that you got out of your comfort zone. Tikis are cool - but there is much more to carve!

Appreciate your comment Alohastation, especially since it's a
non-tiki posting on a tiki site :)
I always like to have something in the works and there are times
when the tiki inspiration isn't there. Experimenting with relief
carving, hopefully, will make me a better carver in the long run.
Always looking for new ideas and inspiration (like I'm sure you are!)
and this latest thing is based on Mexican folk art relief panels,
which I think are kinda cool. Thanks for visiting.

Nice! I love the fact that it has action in it!! where on earth could that Tiki bar be? Don't give up Pedrito you are almost there :)

You're weird man (in a good way)! But I love that carving! Where'd u get the idea for that?! I like the paint too.

[ Edited by: TheBigT 2011-12-30 21:09 ]

Wow, my first update of the year!
A lot has happened in the meantime, thanks Clarita and Big T, and the venerable Basement Kahuna
returned to TC.
I am finally starting to work with wood again, while enjoying the Wisconsin Mai Tai, whiskey
old fashioned made with pure Badger State maple syrup....

After a number of off-shoots I think I am working on a tiki again


I'm still not sure what sort of face this fella will have, perhaps a Marq, maybe something
"tiki modern," definitely no chicklet teeth. A couple of friends popped in to offer their
opinions

It's been nice visiting, I love everything that I see posted in this thread, everything inspires in
one way or another.

Conga is back!

Nice to see the new chops sir... looking good already!

I love your style Conga.
Completely original and yet so familiar at the same time.

Thanks LakeSurfer and Heath, appreciate the comments, and it's
great to be doing something that I feel "comfortable" posting here,
not a bird, not based on Mexican folk art, but based on the
stuff we all love.
Oh, and Heath, I love your candy bar too :)

Hey, I love your Wisconsin Mai Tai!!
Good to see you sir.
Oh, yeah, carvin's lookin goooood

Eh, no worries Conga!

I do plenty of stuff during the year that has not a whole lot to do with Oceanic Art.
Some pays the bills and some of it just makes me a well rounded carver.

Do what makes ya happy, we'll look at it either way!

Welcome back Conga!

Lets see more of this one...

Mahalo

McTiki

He is ALIVE, yeah, looking great so far!

[ Edited by: Clarita 2012-02-19 13:40 ]

About time we saw some Chips fly way up there in the frozen world Conga, Warmer stuff coming your way soon I'm sure.

It already looks good. We need update.

Hey everyone, let's have a party!
Updates we have...with a little shadow test



Still some uncertainties regarding the direction we're
going here, but it's hopefully gonna have a classic
"tiki-tribal" vibe.
And yes Ben...the weather is getting better. It's been
a very mild winter so far.

[ Edited by: congatiki 2012-02-19 19:34 ]

First up a thank you to Hodad Hank for peddling a couple of Congatikis at his gallery in San Diego,
and to the buyers.
Now, we are moving ahead with this fella



Spring is almost here in the Northwoods, can't wait to get outside for carving. I have a lot of
basswood so I think we're going to have a big pile of chips.

cool!

What a great piece. Your work is so unique and personal.

Love this last one. How tall is he? Looking forward to spring!!!

Cool new dude. I expect he'll be getting some color too.. :wink:

Oh looking great! I love the bowl and the eyes, very cool.

Many thanks "5150"....Hiltiki....Amate...Mr"T"...and Clarita. Seems like it's taking me
a longer time to get things finished, but we are winding down in the northwoods! And yes,
we needed some color. I grabbed a couple handfulls of paint and threw 'em on the wood...
and this is where we are at this point




This started out being inspired by a Man Ray photo in Tiki Modern and evolved into
a mish-mash of tiki-ish influences. Almost wrapped up.
Thanks for looking and for any motivational comments along the way.

Great carve !! The light blue accent really jumps out! Very nice!

I really love your style Conga!

Niiiiiice. Just the right touch of paint too. Killer job, Conga!

Yes, that paint made a big difference. The painting project I tryed over the winter did not work out so well.

Very Kool

That is COOL! It has the essence of PNG and your creativity all over it.

very cool piece.

The details really put it over...

Always good to get feedback from the TC family, many thanks to
all of you posters, Captain Jack, Heath, BigT, Amate, Hang 10,
Surfintiki and 5150. Still working on this fella to improve a
couple of problem areas, I re-sanded most of the face to deal
with some dark spots under the eyes and nose. Hopefully we
can put up some finished "beauty pics" in the next week or so.

Thanks for looking and offering your encouragement!

Great Carve C! I like this one alot, very cool!

Awesome Conga!

Are you loving this weather her in the Dairy State?

It is sure showing in your latest pieces. Conga originals each and every one!

Funny how we are on opposite ends of the state almost... like balancing the "tiki" of Wisconsin out! :)

Love your Mish Mash tiki conga, Whats next?

Thanks a lot Amy, LakeS, and my good ole' buddy Ben, really appreciate
the nice comments.
Yes Dave, the weather has been "unbelievable" up here, we've been hitting
the 70s with a lot of sunshine, the snow is gone, the bike has been
on many rides already, and it's always better to carve outside.

This feller is going to get the finishing touches over the weekend
and then we'll be moving onto another nice chunk of basswood. Not sure
what i'll do yet, any ideas Ben?

Conga's still got it! :D

Thanks Lee, nice to hear from you. Not sure if I still have it, but I'm still trying :)
I guess the latest guy is finished...


It's so nice up here in Wisconsin we decided to throw a little party
with some old friends

Thanks for looking, now on to something else.

Excellent finish on this guy Conga, I'm impressed with how you finally took a direction. COOL! Next log? Why,LONO of course! We Know you can do it.

:) Great bunch of guys really

Love the color on all three.

Digging the colors and finish on these guys
Do you mix your own colors?

Whats on deck?

Mahalo

McTiki

Thanks Ben, Clarita, Amate, and McTiki! Racking my brain and
eyeballing big chunks of basswood to determine where to go next.
Look for some early chipping pretty soon. I think I'm gonna make
a tiki.
As for mixing stain, McTiki, I don't do it. My process is
pretty simple--too much work :)
On the latest figure I used a Cabot "antique walnut" stain. For
the last few carvings I have found that I get a really cool--almost
translucent stain--by sanding and re-staining a couple of times.
Then the monster is finished off with a couple coats of tongue oil.
Thanks for looking.

On 2012-03-31 07:45, congatiki wrote:

... the monster is finished off with a couple coats of tongue oil.

Jeez, talk about dedication, I get bored with those little Dum-Dum Pops.:P

I'm with Ben.
I vote LONO with a big honkin headdress to the moon.

A Lono with a "headdress to the moon" huh?
I was giving serious thought to digging into a Lono this weekend but the
weather turned crappy in Wisconsin.
And then I get my new copy of Tiki Magazine and see that Benzart Lono on page
30 and think "should anyone other than Benz do a Lono?" And the carver feature
is Tikimecula and that nuts stuff that he does.
I do have a hunk of basswood log that is de-barked and ready to go, so "some" progress
is being made :)
Happy day after Easter, and Hi Clarita I dig your latest 'boos.

Cool primitive stuff conga, can't wait to see the basswood piece!