Lake Tiki - 8/23/2013 - Red Cedar

Thanks Mess!

Pretty close on that number.

Not too many logs this year... The majority of the work was wall hangings and signs.
Sometimes depending on size and detail work I could knock out 2-4 a day, but there's much more that goes into the finishing after that.
85% of what I do now involves some sort of painting. Carving is the easy part now, it's the finishing that eats a lot of time.

amen.

I hate finishing!!!

lol...

Wrapped up painting in the predawn hours of this morning on this Abelam House Panel that I started at the end of last week.
Around 8 or so hours of carving and over 20 hours of painting. Couldn't put it down until it was done.

34" H x 15" W x 1 1/4" Thick. Hand carved from Poplar.

This is something I have wanted to do for a couple years now. Happy to have a little bit of time to create it in between commissions.

Excellent work Lake. The hours you put in are certainly evident in the quality of work. Wonderful piece, the painting looks flawless.

A beautiful piece Lake Surfer.

Birds! Color! I can't get the smile off my face. I love it.

NIxxon... Thanks for the kind compliment! Almost too much focus on ths piece... Pretty spent mentally and physically.
I'm real happy with how it turned out though.

cy, thank you very much!

Conga, my friend! Had you in my thoughts all throughout this piece! Knew you'd be stoked on it! Thanks for the compliment my northern friend! Bundle up... Cold is coming!

Fantastic work Lake!

Absolutely stunning Dave!

Thank you for sharing your works

Mahalo

McTiki

Atomic Mess and McTiki... Thanks guys for the kind compliments!

Today I finished up a second New Guinea Abelam House Panel. I had carving wrapped up around the time my son Riley was born, and he has watched me the last week and a half as I painted it. Ok... he slept thorugh most of it, but he was there for support. :wink: This panel features the head of the central spirit figure in relief. Above, two inward facing bird totems, with a small spirit face adorning the top section. This piece is hand carved from Basswood and hand painted. It has 40 open work cuts and measures 44" H x 13" W x 1" D.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2012-11-26 19:49 ]

really nice work!

Thanks Atomic Mess! :drink:

Wonderful again. The hard work really pays off in your PNG carvings. Well,
all of your carvings, for that matter. How do you find the time, new baby
and all?

Looks like winter is trying to take hold in the Badger state. Time to admit that
bicycling is over and time to find the ski wax.

Always love your thread.

Aloha Conga, my Northern friend!

Hard work on this one indeed. Its wild when the painting takes so much more time then the carving, but that's what makes these pieces so much more fun... two mediums in one!
I did keep track of most of the painting time... something like 40 plus hours. Carving comes in at least 10 or so hours, mainly just relief work. Very fulfilling time though.
I have really fallen in love these past few years with PNG and all its art forms. So, so different, but still connected to the whole South Pacific.

Time is tough to find these days, but the little guy does sleep for periods of time. I really do appreciate the free time even more.

I to am sad that the bike will sit in hibernation. The cold has set in, and it looks like we're not going to get off as easy as last Winter.

Glad you enjoy your visits Conga, your work has always been inspiring to me. You and I regularly head down that road less traveled. :)

On 2012-11-26 19:47, Lake Surfer wrote:
You and I regularly head down that road less traveled. :)

"and that has made all the difference"

• R. Frost

Would like to see both of you guys around here more often.

I just went through like 20 of your last pages. Some really amazing work!! Inspiring. Great job!
Looked like some fun waist high waves for you in Oct too!!

Amate, thanks for stopping by to visit! Will do my best to check in a bit more often.

Spike, thanks for the kind compliment, and thanks for stopping by my thread!

Its been a good year for surf here. Warmer waters and more favorable winds for waves. Bit of a lull lately, and the water temps have taken their yearly dive... Down to 40 degrees now and getting colder. I'll be out of the water for a while anyhow taking care of my new son.

awesome work

Thanks Marcus! Great to see you stopping by here, and great to see your incredible new body of work!

A little bit of downtime as I regroup for this year's events and try to keep up with my 2 month old son. Thought I'd post up an update since its been a while.

A few highlights from 2012, which was a very busy year for this tiki carver...

I was honored to be a part of last year's "Modernism Week" in Palm Springs at M Modern Gallery.

:up:"Twin Tangaroa Trio" 28.5" W x 20.5" H x 1.75" D.

:up:Crossed another item off my wish list last January when I carved this "Middle Sepik Region Orators Stool." 47" H x 12" W. All hand carved and hand painted with shell and natural fiber ornamentation.

:up:I was honored to once again create awards and trophies for the Ohana: Luau at the Lake in Lake George, NY
This was the Best Cocktail trophy, and this year's work was inspired by the Tiki Resort's architecture.

:up:Another honor this year was being a part of the "Call of the Tropics" show in Dayton, Ohio in July.
These are my two pieces... "God of War" 33" h x 13" w x 2" D and "Papuan Gulf Ceremonial Mask" 35" H x 30" W x 3/4" D

:up:I'm proud to be a part of the new "Hale Pele" in Portland, OR. The "Cannibal Trio" is a theme throughout the bar, and I was asked to create these big guys to hang on one of the walls. Here are "The Catcher," "The Eater" and "The Digester" all together. Each piece is 36" H x 18" W.

:up:I did a lot of work with large milled Poplar boards last year. Never did much with Poplar in the past, but after using it for over 8 pieces last year it is now one of my favorite woods to carve. The Lono is 58" H x 16" W x 1 1/4" D, and the "Wrath of Ku" piece is 31" H x 16" W x 1 5/8" D.

Entering into my 12th year as a tiki carver in 2013, and I've got big plans again this year.

I am proud to announce my collection for 2013: Modern Primitive. A focus on the Polynesian Pop movement of the mid century, with a continuation of works inspired by the primitive cultures of Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific islands. I hope to kick off the vending season in early Spring at Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach!

[ Edited by: Lake surfer 2013-01-13 20:39 ]

Fantastic latest carvings Lake Surfer, I will be sure to check out your local work at Hale Pele in person.

[ Edited by: cy 2013-01-13 17:07 ]

Many thanks cy, appreciate the kind compliment! Say hi to those cannibals from me... They've traveled a long way to be there!

That Lono is nuts. Love it.

Many thanks swizzle! I've done smaller versions at 42" tall, and it's been one of my favorites to carve. Had to go supersize with it for once. Still just as complex as the smaller ones.

Looks great, I have always loved your Cannibal pieces.

Wonderful carvings, I especially love the trophy. I hope to add some of your carvings to my collection this year.

outstanding..........

Atomic Tiki Punk... Mahalo! They are some of my favorite subjects to carve!

Tikilongbeach, many thanks for the kind compliments! I'm going to try and dig up a few more pics from last year to post up... I've got some other trophy/award ones from Ohana that are neat. I'm hoping to get out for a ITMP at Don's very soon... I'll keep you updated if you'd like to get some pieces in person!

Hang10tiki... Many thanks! Watching your Maori tiki evolve... Looking good! Keep chopping!

This is a piece I started around the beginning of the new year, and just recently finished up. Its a mask inspired by the work of the Gogodala People, Western Province of the South Coast of New Guinea. It features open work in the eyes and mouth and is hand painted. Very similar colors to that which the Abelam People use, which is what attracted me to it. This piece measures in at 38.5" H x 10.5" W.

The lake is on fire
Very cool piece...

Jon

Thank you Jon, appreciate the compliment! Mainly surface carves on this piece and a lot of painting, but a very enjoyable piece to create.

I don't know what it is about these panels, but I love carving and painting them. Maybe its the colors? Maybe its the intricate details Maybe the assortment of Hornbills? Changing things up and shrinking things down... this Abelam Male Ancestral Panel is smaller then the last two I have done, challenging to paint and carve, but no less detail packed then the larger ones.

20" H x 11" W.

Just finished painting this one this morning, carving was last week.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2013-01-28 19:03 ]

Nice top quality carves! You could sell these at the art museum gift shop...now that I think about it, you could sell your work just about anywhere you chose.

amate, thanks a bunch for your kind compliments! PNG work has really taken a hold on my carving the last few years, and rather then wain has strengthened it's grip. There just such a wide variety of subjects, clans, tribes, art, etc. that can be found in what's really a small land mass compared to the rest of the world. Having a lot if fun with it all. I enjoy watching all of your work also, you've been around the block a few times and it shows in your clean carves.

Really like the New panels Lake!

PNG stuff is my favourite too, as you say there's so much variety from a single island...

On 2013-01-27 09:30, Lake Surfer wrote:

This is nice.
Great Job Lake!

Mess, thanks a bunch for the kind compliment!

I'll admit, half a decade ago it took me a little bit to warm up to PNG art... It wasn't "tiki" as I had thought tiki was... The common Hawaiian carvings that we all were first attracted to. But as I explored further, it really opene up a new and interesting world for me.

tikiskip... Thank you kindly sir!

Perhaps I'll see you at the Hot Rod Hula Hop this year?

Lake monster
How about a step by step
on one of these new pieces...

Awesome work

Jon

Hang10... I always forget to take progress shots... Next piece I'll try and remember to stop once in a while and take pics!

Awesome stuff as always Dave !

Carving like crazy for all the big events this summer, but also been pouring through books for new Oceanic pieces.

I like carving pieces I have done before, but I'm always on the lookout for new things.

Here's something off the beaten path... A mask inspired by the works of the Yangoru Boiken of East Sepik, Papau New Guinea.

27" H x 11.5" W

A bunch of time invested already and it's far from done... Lots of painting yet to do.

GROG like.

Yes Dave, that is alot of work so far and it shows. So many treaturous lines and cut outs. Very nice piece sir.

Keep em coming and post more often.

McTiki