Lake Tiki - 8/23/2013 - Red Cedar

Lake,

Those are some sweet pieces that you have been creating.
You should look me up if you want to do some surfing in Santa Cruz on your visit.
I'll take you out at my local spots and make sure you get a warm welcome.

Good luck at the show.

Will

Will, good to hear from you! Thanks for the compliment!

I checked out your new work, but didn't get a chance to comment on it yet.

As usual, some really great SC Tiki Shack creations going on!

I wish I had time to swing by your stretch of coast. As it is, I will have such a short time in The California Republic.

Too short, but I'll enjoy every minute of it. :)

Hopefully, the wahine and I will get back to your area. I loved surfing Pacifica and Marina. Cowell's was flat though, wrong swell direction. They cancelled the Coldwater too.

I'd like to do a drive from S.F. to LA... we would for sure look you up.

Wrapping up work on the Tiki Mag show pieces! One more to finish, then I have some new things brewing...

[ Edited by: lake surfer 2008-08-21 02:54 ]

Lake, Good luck on your upcoming shows though with the great stuff you are carving it looks like luck will not be needed. Love the Big Brother tiki, too bad you had to lose the 3 extra feet!. Your newer stuff is lookin' Awesome with Lots of detail that drives the peeps wild, you should be doing lots more detailed stuff, you Can do it, you just need To do it! :P :D :P

Benz, thanks man... means a ton coming from a talent such as yourself!

I'm proud of where I've arrived at, but will never settle... always striving for more.

I've never been so stoked about my work as I am now, its a lot of fun!

Keep watching, I promise there's more to come!

Still busy, I've got the Dairyland Surf Classic coming up next weekend!

20 year Anniversary of the best Great Lakes Surf party running! 3 days of Great Lakes surf culture, paddling contests, music, lots of beer and waves if the gods allow it!

Actually got in the water today for 3 hours of some chest to waist peaks... 73 degree water! Trunking it on the lake!

Stoke is running high these days!

I'm still keeping the Tiki Mag Show work under wraps until after the show, :wink:
but I was over on Foundation Tiki Bar's Myspace this evening and found a bunch of new pictures of my work up there.

Front door with my 7 foot Marquesan Posts, Don trimmed the entire door out with bamboo.

Just a sample of the carved trim I did back in December/January, this around the back of the bar shelves

Carved Humu Triggers in the back booth... the Surgeonfish are on the left inside wall hidden from view.

Door trim, an older sign and a weapon from last November on the inside of the door, now trimmed out with bamboo.

A large Marquesan wallhanging and a weapon from late last fall

The 4 foot canoe I finished up after Hukilau earlier this summer. Its hanging in a new booth Don built with a wood surfboard table and a reed overhang.

Paradise! I'm getting thirsty!

If you're in the Milwaukee area, drop me a line and we'll have a drink or two at Foundation Tiki Bar!

Nice Lake you are keeping up the carving stoke for sure!

I also have been surfing my but off! Great waves have been
coming thru. Heading back today for another week of beach life.

It is so nice to see your carvings displayed in a real tiki bar. That is real big feather in your cap.

Great pics Lake, another place I gotta get to when I make the
trip to Milwaukee. Looks like a cool spot, but it would have to be,
since it's sorta like a "public" LakeSurfer Bar.

Hey Lake! I've gotta postcard on my coffeetable of this joint in milwalkee! Great stuff!

Playing catch up here... been busy with work for the Tiki Magazine Planet Rooth Show and getting ready for the Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale.

Hope to see lots of California Ohana and other artists from around the country this coming weekend!

I'll be at the Tiki Magazine show opening Saturday evening and on Sunday, Chongolio and I will be sharing a booth at Forbidden Island brimming with Aloha!

Some late responses to your kind comments guys...

Seeks, thanks! Good to hear you've been getting some surf! The pics of the Tiki Bog looked wonderful, get some shots of the waves too next time!
I've been getting in about once a week here, waves are more frequent with the fall coming. Looking forward to a storm this Thursday, then hoping to score some surf in SoCal next week!

Thanks Johnny... I hope to get back to some more work on Foundation this fall, and I have some projects in the works for my own bar in a few weeks. Watch for them!

Thanks Conga, I've been watching the "bird" posts you've put up. Always good stuff coming out of the Northwoods!
Hope you can make it down here sometime... we are doing a home bar crawl and bar crawl this fall, I'll let you know. It would be worth coming down for for a weekend!

Hodadhank, sweet! Thanks much! If you're ever in Milwaukee drop me a line! Foundation makes the best Mai Tais in the whole city!

Well, this Saturday evening will be a real honor as I get to see my work hanging in the Planet Rooth Gallery among some of the greatest tiki artists out there right now.
I'm really stoked, and can't wait to get to California.

For those of you who can't make it, here is a sneak peak at one of the pieces I have in the show...

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-10-23 22:09 ]

dan a lang a ding dong... nice!

Mahalo Al!

Did some straightening and cleaning up in the shop today, found this extra piece of wood and it was calling to be carved...

Whipped up this little Marq... 10"x 10"

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-10-23 22:29 ]

Refreshing stuff Lake, Good luck with your show, Wish I could be there.

Always cool, Lakesurfer. Congratulations on your participation in the
Tiki Magazine show. That sounds like a blast. Your canoes are
wonderful and I really like the unique twist on your latest post.

Always cool, Lakesurfer. Congratulations on your participation in the
Tiki Magazine show. That sounds like a blast. Your canoes are
wonderful and I really like the unique twist on your latest post.

Really looking forward to meeting you and seeing your work at the show Lake...you work is just plain some of the tightest stuff around. I hope you get a few days to play here in SD...lots to do out this way. See ya Sat night.

Very Cool Dave!
great detail!
and lots of it!
Can't wait to see those Marquesan Boatboys!

Thanks for all your support guys!

Benz, thanks for the best wishes! I hope the pieces I did for the show find a good home.

Conga, thanks much! I pushed hard on my work for the show and my brain is nearly fried. Nothing a little surf time in SoCal won't fix, though. :wink:
Sounds like it is starting to frost a bit up in your parts? A shame summers have to come to an end... seems like we only get 3 months.

Babalu, thank you, and likewise. You do some very tight work yourself. Your mug and bowl sculpts are outta sight, and its great that you've inspired and taken the time to get others involved in mug making. See you at Planet Rooth!

Ken, thank you! I can't wait to see them either! They've traveled a long ways.
I'll see you Saturday also!

Whipped up ! you a sick carving machine Lake NICE WORK!

Seeks, thanks much man! Good to see you have been enjoying some R&R involving surfing and carving!

My West Coast tour was a bunch of fun, the highlight being the Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale. Great Ohana there and Martin puts on a great little event.
It was also great meeting everyone down in San Diego at the Tiki Magazine show... thanks again Nick for putting it together again this year.

Scored some decent surf last Monday at HB! Hung out with a pod of dolphins for a bit during the session.

Back in the swing of things here... mainly working on projects for myself for the next couple of months unless I get orders for work.
The Marquesan Pole back on page 1 is back on my carving bench and I hope to have it finished up next week. After that is a cocktail table for the home bar that will be made up of a couple of tikis and some detailed carving.

I just finished these guys up today. I made a pair for the Tiki Magazine show in San Diego and they sold opening night.

The Marquesan tikis are based on an adze that resides in the hallowed halls of the Mai Kai.

They were so much fun that I wanted to make another pair.

This pair is for sale in the Marketplace under my thread.

Each is about 2 feet tall by 8 1/2" wide.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-10-23 22:25 ]

Wonderful Lakesurfer, before I croak I am gonna own one (or two) or your
flat Marqs. If I wasn't going on vacation next week to Tennessee and
needing a few new tools...and with two kids in college...I would own them
now. Some of my most favorite stuff here comes from the Lakesurfer factory.

On 2008-09-26 17:00, congatiki wrote:
Wonderful Lakesurfer, before I croak I am gonna own one (or two) or your
flat Marqs. Some of my most favorite stuff here comes from the Lakesurfer factory.

My thoughts exactly!

Conga and 4WDtiki, thank you for your kind compliment.

No worries, as long as I have two hands I'll still be carving these.

Its in my blood now and there's no stopping.

I've found carving as a way to unwind, relax and forget about all the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

It would be an honor to have my work hang in your homes someday.

Thanks again!

Very nice, Lake. Is the snow arrived ?

Benjamin.

Benjamin...

Thanks for stopping in and checking out the new work!

No need to rush the winter, for it will be on it's way soon enough.

But no, no snow yet, and hopefully not for a long time.

It is 80 degrees F, still quite warm for this time of year. We will get back to normal temps midweek... 60 degrees F.

Snow usually starts to show up around mid to late November... and after last year's 110 inches it can stay away for longer than that. :wink:

You're on fire, brah! Great designs.

Like BK said... HOTT STUFF! Really diggin' the soul patch on the marquesan bradda'z and your voyaging canoes are top shelf too Lake Surfer! Keep honing da great chopz to a fine edge!

Flip-flOp-fLipPp... :D

Very unique style and look to your work, Lake Surfer Dave.

Nice meeting you at Planet Rooth!

Bowana

BK: Just going with the flow... I do what the voices in my head tell me to do. Voices from an island far, far away. :wink: Thanks man. :)

Jonsey: Good to hear from ya! Thanks for the compliments! I'll keep honing away!

Bowana: Thanks for the kind words! It was a pleasure meeting you at the show also! Nice to put a face with your talent filled work!

I've got to get back to this OA inspired Trader Vic's pole I've been working on today!

Started this guy more than 2 years ago in our old flat and he's been kicking around in the studio 3/4 done the whole time.
Finally found some time to dig in on it the last 2 weeks and tonight the stain is drying.

The next couple of days I'll do the finishing work on it in between surfing.

We've got a large low pressure system coming down from Canada that's going to bring a couple days of sustained 15-25 mph winds out of the N NW.

That spells clean, sideshore chest high waves for the south half of Lake Michigan. :)

Beautiful Lake. Beautiful.
Enjoy the surf.

surfin... thanks much bruddah!

This fish needs to get his gills wet!

NEARSHORE MARINE FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
919 PM CDT MON SEP 29 2008
FOR WATERS WITHIN FIVE NAUTICAL MILES OF SHORE ON LAKE MICHIGAN

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM CDT TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

WEDNESDAY...NORTH WIND 15 TO 25 KNOTS. MOSTLY CLOUDY. WAVES 5 TO 7 FEET.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-09-30 12:33 ]

Killer post! 2 years?! Oy, that's a long time. :D

Kind of interesting. I see that you are using the same repeated pattern and it shows that you can do that and still have an awesome looking post.

BIg T, thanks!

The post was inspired by the Oceanic Arts posts that used to be in the Chicago Trader Vics.
They've always been some of my favorites so I wanted one for my own bar.
I started this one a long time ago (check out my first post on this thread :wink:) before we had our house and never got around to finishing it... it just sat in the corner.
Since vending has slowed down for the year I've been getting back to some personal projects.

This guy is done.

6' tall about 8-12" diameter from bottom to top.

Still waiting on the waves and had time after some work this morning to put the wraps on it.

Trying to find the right spot for it in the bar.

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2008-09-30 14:08 ]

Lake you're killing me with all this stuff. Your carves and finishes
are setting a real high bar. Like they always say, "Something good from
Wisconsin!" The Department of Tourism should promote Lakesurfer carvings
along with cheese, milk, cranberry wine, Violent Femmes, Brett Favre (oops...
he's in New York), walleye, etc.
You are one of the best!

Conga... you're too kind my Wisconsin carving bruddah.

Just striving for the best and keeping it real.

Thanks again for the compliment!

awesomee! the finish and the rope look killer!

Awesome!

Sweetness Sweetness Sweetness LOVE IT!

Dam fine work love the poles you do.

Really cool pole. I love it.
If you can't find a room for it in your bar, send it to me, I'll get him a good space in my new tiki room :wink:

Thanks for your replies, guys...

tikithomas, BenBoo, seeks!

Your feedback is much appreciated.

Virani, good to hear from you! Thanks for the kind words.

Tell you what, you fly me out to Paris and I'll carve you all the tiki poles you want in a week's time. :wink:

Getting ready to go out and hit the waves today! I'll try and get some pictures.

Hey Lake-
I am loving your pole!! Hehehe Nice job dude!! The cuts are really clean and tight. As a matter of fact, I am digging on all of the stuff you have been comming up with lately.

Another excellent Lake Pole, What took you so long on this one?

Thank you Mr. Sperm Whale for your kind words... much appreciated!

Thanks Benz!

What too me so long? Well, the other 57 pages got in the way. :wink:

Surf was real fun this afternoon! I'm beat!
Took one picture before I headed out...

On 2008-10-01 10:38, Lake Surfer wrote:

Virani, good to hear from you! Thanks for the kind words.

Tell you what, you fly me out to Paris and I'll carve you all the tiki poles you want in a week's time. :wink:

Sounds good !
How many tiki poles can you carve in a week, let say if you work 10 hours a day ?

Virani... all depends on how many logs you can get! :wink:

Good luck with the progress on your new tiki room!

If I can be of any more help, let me know!

Love the surf shot! Break looks close or is that a zoom?

Aloha Seeks!

That's a sandbar break, not much of a paddleout, but shot with a zoom.

I'm beat.

Two and a half straight days of surf here out of the east/southeast with comfortable water temps in the 60's.
I surfed 3 hours Tuesday night, 4 hours Wednesday morning, did some work to pay bills and then surfed for another 3 1/2 hours until dark.

Marathon sessions like these are rare here on the lakes. Usually its a one day event.

But this was fun. Tired, but recharged in mind, body and spirit.

I'm really looking forward to 2009 already.

I have some great ideas for next year's work that will start in December. The next month will be spent in libraries doing research and sketches.
Then the long cold winter in a warm and cozy studio.
Big events to bust out the new work next year including Hukilau 2009 and Tiki Oasis 2009. And lots of smaller events in between.
I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new friends!

I've been editing pictures for my portfolio the last couple of weeks and here is a shot of another watercraft.
This canoe sold at the Forbidden Island parking lot sale.