Hello from SC Tikis

I just wanted to say hello to everyone in Tiki Central. My name is Will and I have been carving tikis for around 10 years. Almost daily, I check out the creating tikis forum and I decided that it is about time that I finally write an article myself.
Thanks to Chongolio at Lost-Isle, I now know how to post pictures through snapfish. Speaking of Chongolio, I couldn't believe all the cool tiki art that he has aquired over the years. Going to his house is like going to an enchanted tiki museum. I was fortunate enough to see some of the smaller tikis that he carved and was quite impressed.

Below, if this Snapfish thing works out for me, is an example of a larger tiki that I carved earlier this year. The wood (redwood) that was used to create this monstrosity has a little story behind it. After a huge storm, a large log washed up on the beach facing steps of the gentleman's beach house who purchased this tiki. Unfortunately, the home owner didn't have any heavy equipment to move this 500lb log. Later that day, a salvage logger drove his huge truck down the beach and proceeded to swoop this log. The homeoner felt an afinity for this piece of wood, since it washed up on his doorstep, and argued with the logger about who had rightful ownership. To make a long story short, the result was that the logger told him that he had a friend, me, who could carve it into a tiki for him; everyone seemed satisified. However, when I finally was ready to grab this log, I was notified that it had a rotton core. Therefore, I had to get another log, but the homeowner was O.K. with this.

Tiki Kamaniwannaleiu is now living close to Point Arena in Northern California. It is guarding it's newly adopted parent's forest getaway house. Thank you for reading my little tiki story. I am glad that I finally figured out and had the time to post a topic. There will be more to follow.

P.S. If I don't reply right away, don't take it personally, sometimes I avoid my computer like the Plague.

Thanks,
Will
SCTikis

SCTikiShack, thats quite an Impressive Tiki.I Like..
Do you have pic's of your other work you'd like to share?
Welcome to TC, we are Always glad to have new members, Especially artists, so come on in, sit down, relax, take your shoes off and Stay awhile.......

Benzart,

Thank you,

I am planning on submitting many more pictures and articles. Fortunately, I have pictures of most of my tikis. I thought that I would space out my articles to enable me to constantly work on my writing skills. My mind is constantly brewing up little short stories about tikis that I plan on submitting when I have the time. Currently, I changed my day job from full time to part time to enable me to carve tikis and reduce my stress level (kind of like what I read that you did). Therefore, I will have time to post some topics and catch up to my backorder.

Thanks,
You're a legend

Will

Welcome to TC SCTikiShack!
That is one beautiful Tiki as well as the others on your website .
I live in Carmel, get your butt down here for a tail at my Tiki bar.
Bring Chongolio too.

Welcome SCTS! That is one nice carving. Looking forward to seeing some more.

A-A

Unga Bunga & Aron's Aqua,

Thank you guys, It means a lot to me when fellow tiki carvers/ conessours give me plugs. Unga Bunga, I would love to come down and check out your tiki bar one of these days. I quite often find myself surfing around your neck of the woods. Maybe one day I can talk Chongolio into jaunting down there for a surf/tiki bar checking out trip. Getting Chongolio to agree to something like that probably wouldn't be to difficult.

[ Edited by: SCTikiShack on 2004-12-13 13:42 ]

Will... incredible work as always... love the deep deep cuts!

Bummed that the wife and I were short on time on our honeymoon when we passed through SC... by the time we got settled it was late in the evening... hope to make it out your way again and see your tikis! Keep up the great work and stories...

Mele Kalikimaka!

Hey I remember you! You're the guy who carved the Jay Moriarity Tribute Tiki. Welcome to Tiki Central. Look forward to seeing more of your work here!

Yeah, I was gonna ask if you were the one who carved the pole for Jay but Poly Pop beat me to it. Your work has inspired some of my work. Thanks for posting and welcome.

That really is some fine work, SC. Thanks a bunch for sharing...

http://www.samgambino.com

That one giant mother of a tiki has a lot of style. I can't wait to see more. Welcome to TC.

Everyone,

Thanks, thanks and thanks again for the warm welcome to Tiki Central. I am looking forward to posting many more topics and pictures of my past and present carvings. I hope to be able to swap carving tips with fellow tiki carvers. I can always use any input that you guys/gals are willing to offer. My goal is to always let my carvings evolve. Everytime I carve a tiki, I try something new.
What I noticed about reading the forums for quite a while is that you, the tiki centralites, have created a very unique culture. From an outside point of view many of you seem to be very creative, laid back, friendly and interesting. It is rather similar to the surfing culture here in Santa Cruz without the bad attitude. This is something that I strive to be a part of.

Sincerely,
Will

Hey SC! Welcome aboard, matey!

Thanks for making that connection Polypop, I was wondering as I was reading down the post...

Sc - your stuff is great, I can't wait to see more. I gotta make it up to Santa Cruz again to check out your stuff in person...love that town.

Thanks again SC. Didn't realize at first it was you who did the Jay Moriarty tribute tiki. Very well done and for a great cause.
I wish I lived out in SoCal with you guys. I would open a carving mentor studio so fast. Oh well.
SC you have some serious talent and I'm glad you are using it and trying new twists. That is important for us all.

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2004-12-16 17:49 ]

Allright Will,
Your doing it! Glad you got posting pics all figured out.
Folks, Will is a modest cat who carves awesome tikis. He has also created the tiki mascot "Ikiaka" for The Aloha Island Grille among many others around Santa Cruz and the bay area.
Will has also been super generous about lending out his giant personal tikis to help decorate the stage for Uke Fest West and for Michelle (Ukulele Lady) Kiba's CD release party.

I first met Will when he was installing the Jay Moriarty tiki at Pleasure Point and we have become good friends. His tikis have a style all ther own and each one is cut DEEP! No namby pamby chicken scratching going on in his open air mountain workspace. (Will show us all a pic of your carving space when you get a chance)
Here is the thread with more pics of Will's Jay Moriarty Tiki tribute:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=7811&forum=1&vpost=77252

Good to see your posts and read the stories behind the Tikis.

Chongolio

-- I believe that our Heavenly Father invented the monkey because he was disappointed in man."
... Mark Twain

Come explore http://www.lost-isle.com

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2004-12-16 14:56 ]

Thank you guys/gals (even though I don't think any girls have replied) for everything. Look for a posting called Pineapple Head next week and many more to follow. I am trying to fit in some time between my sacred carving days and my stressful finance job to write this article. Unfortunately, the waves are supposed to be huge over the weekend so this might put a little damper on my plans.

Surfs up, everything else is put on hold temporarily.
(We'll almost everything)

Check out a link to an article that the local newspaper here did on the Jay tiki.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/May/31/local/stories/03local.htm

When I was intervied I wasn't aware that there were as many tiki carvers out there as there really are. I also didn't know as much about tiki folklore/ religion as I do now afer reading tiki central for a while.

Kudos,
Will

[ Edited by: SCTikiShack on 2004-12-16 15:54 ]

[ Edited by: SCTikiShack on 2004-12-16 15:59 ]

[ Edited by: SCTikiShack on 2004-12-16 16:00 ]

Hey Will welcome to T.C..... Killer stuff there dude....Are these two below yours by chance? I went snowboarding out in Tahoe a couple years ago and ran across these at Squaw Valley. Thought they kinda resembled the one you posted.....sorta.

G.

Tiki Freak,

Thank you, Unfortunately the two tikis at Squaw Valley aren't mine. I'm not sure who's they are, but they look kind of like the ones that I have seen come from Big Sur. I always love checking out the tikis and tiki bars that you often post on Tiki Central they are very cool.

Man, incredible work..........
Plus, surfin and carvin.........exactly what I do with all my time too........yeah, right. A man has to have a dream.
Great tikis...........

Will, I just now got around to readint hat news paper article. It was Very impressive and I really enjoyed it. It was very good for Tiki and for the "Aloha spirit". Very well done.