Lake Tiki - 8/23/2013 - Red Cedar

Mahalo Conga for the kind compliments! It has been a super busy year. Early and late Spring were spent just cranking away on inventory for the two big shows I did back in June. Probably around 50 or 60 pieces completed by the end of May. I kind of overworked myself in June and have been recovering from 4 weeks of bacterial pneumonia. Too much travel and burning the candle at both ends. Getting better everyday now though... should be at 100% soon.

Loving the PNG here and I know you do too. Lot's more coming as I continue to really be inspired by all parts of the mysterious country.

Jim, many thanks for the compliments! I myself am still amazed at what a great tiki bar Foundation has become over the years. Don is the brains behind the place, I just carve the tikis! :wink: If you're ever in these parts, its a place you can't miss!

Looking good as always, Dave... I second what everyone else has said about the PNG stuff. Top notch all the way! Good to see ya with an update on TC!

Beautiful work, as always. Love your PNG work and everything else, too.

Sounds like you won't be at Tiki Oasis this year?

Thanks a ton for the kind compliments Woody! I'm off to the library today to do some more research for some new work.
Yep, more PNG!

TikiSan, thank you very much for your compliment, and thanks for stopping by!
Sorry, no Oasis for me again, but I will be a part of the Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale in September.

I recently visited the Foundation Bar for the first time. I was so impressed that I started a "Locating Tiki" thread for it. Glad to hear it is still under active development and that you are a big part of it. I live in northern California and get back to Wisconsin once a year to visit relatives so I'm looking forward to my return visit next year.

The ambiance of the Foundation Bar is great and it has a high "Tiki Factor". I really liked the Tiki poles you recently did for the bar area. While it is hard to capture the atmosphere of the place in photos perhaps you or other bar regulars could contribute photos and a better description of the bar to the "Locating Tiki" thread.

Oh, and the drinks were really good! Definitely the must visit Tiki site in Wisconsin!

Aloha TropicDrinkBoy!

Great to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Foundation Tiki Bar here in Milwaukee!
On your return visit, you'll find even more new additions to the decor!

Thanks for the compliments on my work! I have a lot of fun working with Don the bar manager and Charles the owner.
I also have a lot of fun enjoying the cocktail creations of all the staff at the bar!

Between Don's lifetime collection of tiki and my work, we've really put the place over the top. Like you said, from the outside you would never know what's inside
until you step through the door.

There has been lot going on this year. There is a brand new drink menu, a new wet bar, a wall of top notch rums, a new stage and booth in the back and lot's more brand new lights and decor. A new website is in the making as are promotional materials.

New photos are also being shot to use on the new website and to proudly show off the atmosphere that has been created.

There is a lot going on, and a lot of time being dedicated into making it one of the greatest tiki bars in the country for its size!
I've put the word out to locals and staff to add to your thread in "Locating."

Feel free to let me know next time you're going to be at the bar and I'll come up and have a drink or two with you!

Mahalo!

I'll be back to Forbidden Island this September, vending at the parking lot sale. This week I started in on all the new work that I'll be bringing with me to the Bay Area.

Here is one of the pieces that will be making the trip with me... a Papua New Guinea Spirit Figure.

24" H x 9 " W

Looks great! Excited that you will be at the parking lot sale and will get a chance to pick up some more of your carvings for our collection.

Lakes-Kool stuff as allways.The volume and high standard of work
you keep bang'n out allways inspires me!Cheers Watango

Kimmy, thanks a bunch for the compliment, and it will be a pleasure to see you again! I'll have a great selection of brand new work to choose from!

Watango, thank you kindly for the compliment! I don't get over here as much as I'd like to post since I'm always carving, but I'll try and keep everyone updated a bit.
Glad I could be an inspiration to ya, its a real honor.

Lot's of other work going on everyday here, but here is a fun piece I wanted to share here

I carved this piece last week, but painting took a few days to complete. I spent yesterday morning finishing it up.

This is a roof panel, inspired by the region of Lake Sentani, Papua Province, Indonesia.
Papua or Irian Jaya forms part of the bigger island of New Guinea – to the eastern part of the island, is the sovereign state of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Art forms were shared between the peoples of both sides of the island. Carved and painted plaques like this one adorned the roofs of ceremonial men's houses where initiation rituals were held.

In this piece, the design depicts opposing marine spirits with large-eyes, barbed heads. The serpentine legs of the spirits terminate in fish forms, and other bird and fish shapes surround the figures.

This piece measures in at 33" H x 8.5" W, and is carved and hand painted.

Nice piece Lake, gotta love birds and fishies. Looks like it was
a lot of effort, but well worth it. Nice to see something different...
again...from Wisconsin's own Lakesurfer!

edited to correct spelling.

[ Edited by: congatiki 2011-08-02 14:26 ]

Aloha to you Conga! How are you enjoying this great Wisconsin summer?

Thanks for the compliments! This one took some time, especially with the painting. But it was a lot of fun to see come together.

I'm spending lots of time doing PNG work these days. I think I caught the bug from you finally!

Dave, once again, looking at your booths' offerings, and the storyboard carvings, I don't know if I should be mad that you are so far away, or glad, cause I would be tempted to buy every other carving you do. :)

Sven, thanks for the kind compliments! Very much appreciated!

I wish I could make it out to LA more to at least get to talk story with you more often!

I'm glad that my often "off the beaten path" carvings are appreciated! Makes all the research time I do worthwhile!

Maybe I'll make it out again in December, I'll give you a heads up.

I dropped off 44 feet of hand carved and painted trim today at Foundation Tiki Bar. These pieces are going to be featured in one of the booths at the bar,
and they carry through the PNG theme we've got going in the newly remodeled area.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2012-05-06 10:28 ]

Painted PNG Spirit board and the hand carved trim are absolutely amazing, Lake. Foundation Tiki Bar is lucky to have you.

It is like so good.

Darren and Woody, thanks much guys for the compliments!

Big doings in September. The Dairyland Surf Classic is this weekend and I will have a booth there, as well as a really nice 4 foot tiki that is in the Saturday night raffle.

At the end of the month I'll be returning to the Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale! This event is a lot of fun and is one of the highlights of my summer!

I've been diving deeper and deeper into Papua New Guinea carvings, and here is a new piece that I will have available at the F.I. Sale.

This is a clan mask inspired by pieces found in the Blackwater River region of the East Sepik Province of PNG.

Some fun new cuts and curves, and as always, a lot of fun to paint.

Picking out the perfect shells for it was frosting on the cake. Size is 21" H x 7" W.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2012-05-06 10:30 ]

Beautiful LakeSurfer

Thank you cy! I really appreciate the compliment!

Stunning! I love these. Your work on these is so clean! Niiiiice.

Nice paint. Love the colors!

Holy shit! Great job, as usual Dave. You are out of control!

Big T, amate, and finkdaddy... thanks guys... I appreciate the compliments!

Here's another mask, from another Papua New Guinea tribe... this one is an Abelam Wood Yam Mask that would be used during Yam Ceremonies.

This one is 14" H x 7" W.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2011-09-02 10:34 ]

Wow... Another home run!

Thanks for the compliment Woody! See you in a few weeks!

Wow Lake, another stunning PNG piece!?! You have really mastered that style man. The paint is killer. I think you may just be enjoying painting these more than carving them?? :wink:

BigT, thank you for your kind compliments! I do enjoy the painting part a bunch.
Its a fun new challenge that goes hand in hand with the challenge of every new piece I carve.

Fall Harvest came early this year. Bountiful to say the least.

A rich harvest! :D

pardon my ignorance, but what kind of wood is that?

Yellow Pine.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2011-10-16 21:13 ]

Aloha Lake,

Which one of those logs might be my KU? Please, please, please!

Talk to you soon ....

One of the bigger ones for sure, Darren. Gonna let 'em dry a bit, they are super heavy right now. Lot's of prep work to do on them also.

Wow, you really are busy, huh?!

Thanks Dave,

The bigger the better. Hopefully talk to you soon about the KU & the Marquesan.

Getting a couple of toques made to keep them warm, in anticipation of their trip up North!

With Much Mahalo

Aloha Luki! I try to make an hour or two for eating and sleeping, but its pretty much tiki 24 hours a day here!

Darren, once the big ones are prepped, I'll give you a choice. I will be in touch after the F.I. Sale.
Getting cold here already... may need a sleigh to deliver them to you!

keep up the awesome work

Thanks for stopping by Marcus!

Looks like an awesome procurement! Certainly some great work to come from those logs...cant wait to see what you come up with.

Wrapped up this Kavakava this weekend. This piece measures in at 45" H x 11" W x 3/4.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2012-05-06 10:27 ]

Great carving, Dave!
Reminds me of your kavakava head hanging above the entrace to my living room. It's sort of my Mona Lisa - the eyes follow you everwhere.

hello, great imagination great job

So very nice. Luv the headdress.

Markus, great to hear from you, and thanks for the kind compliment! I forgot that you were one of the owners of the original kavakava heads I made a while back.
I always liked how those turned out and I wanted to revisit the carving, but on a larger scale.

eric, thanks for the compliment... much appreciated!

BigT, thank you! The birds are my favorite part too!

Hey Lake, I'm really likin' the png stuffs! Wonderful. Great shots too!