Basement Kahuna -New Maori Bone Pendant 3/04

beautiful BK, beautiful!

AMy

Crazy Good!
Buzzy

On 2006-07-11 10:18, Basement Kahuna wrote:
Here is a recent project carved for VonTiki...it is a walrus tooth that he has carried in his pocket since he was a child, so there was absolutely no margin of error on this piece...it was a very special one-of-a-kinder and had to be a very special design!!

That's some pretty fine carving, almost like a Maori netsuke...what are the dimensons of the tooth?

It's a small piece, around two inches. Tight space to interpret, but it morphed out well. Thanks, all for the props...always nice to hear...keeps the thinking cap on!

Just finished number 2 aloha pole...pics tomorrow.. tired...300 miles today after a Swanky Luau in Knoxville...Stopped off at Chickamagua and walked around...that is a heavy, heavy place. 34,000 men cut down in the prime of their life right there..

bk, vontiki's walrus bone is amazing! incredible design and carving. bravo!

I just got this fab new studio! Found a great place in an all woodshop collective right outside of Athens! Fair rent and lotsa breathing room...(and a mini fridge, too!). Ample storage, plenty of extra bench space for my books and projects...woohoo! Been waiting for something like this.. Oops...busted with the liquid crack in the fridge...have to keep my big, lumbering self awake...and my favorite c.d.!

Nice looking space BK, does that mean we'll see some progress pics of that Fijian club shortly?
I see you have a few of the same books I have too. "Adorning the World" is one of my favourites.

Congrats on the new shop space. Looks nice and clean. Thanx also for getting your old pix back up--since I've joined TC I've evolved (my tastes, not my carving skills) from the typical Ku figure that EVERYbody is familiar with to some of the more obscure sides of 'tiki art' like your weapons. Gonna have to whittle me up an Aktara or 2 someday, thanx for the inspiration. Going to have to pick up some of those books soon also-thanx.

BK, What a GREAT Find for a workspace, I'm really Jealous> Al you need is some wood chips on the floor and I can see those Chisels Smokin' now. Can't wait to see the stuff that comes outta here! Damn, I might have to come visit one day.
Is there still a Pizza Joint up there called "Everybody's Pizza"? They used to make great pies.

Lookin like a Sweet place to get in the zone.

Yep...should lend itself to prolificity. Here's just a few of the chunks on the burner...

BTW any time anybody wants to visit just e-mail me..I'm down to two names for the shop (my old one was called the Volcano) Either "Pacific East" or "Un-American Idols" :).

I was wondering what happened to your "North Aukland panel" that we saw many weeks ago...and there it
is waiting for more attention. We are all waiting to see what comes out of that workshop.

Looks like there is enough to get you started in that pil;e. Where you hiding the Big pile??

BK, what kind of wood do you use to carve the flat pieces you have there in that last picture, on the left side?

Hi, Hil..One of those boards is 3-inch thick old growth poplar (with the cream to ebony color striations) and the other is 2 inch basswood. I'm lucky enough to have a mill in Carolina that cuts them for me in the specific thicknesses for relief carving.

Here are two recent pieces of mine...I've been very busy lately getting comissions, Hukilau-destined pieces, and residential installs finished, so not much time to post...The first is a Fijian club known as a Gu-Gu. The club is so named because it's shaped is patterned after the Gu-Gu fish, a sacred fish in Fiji. The stylized image of the fish as seen on the ricasso of the club is the common element on every example of this club. Many of these clubs were bound by elements of the spiritual or sacred. When a club was used in battle it became the new dwelling place of the mana of every warrior whose life it took. The second piece is a stylized Maori warrior in a war canoe...this piece was a commission concept for our own Traveling Jones here on TC! It has a fully carved prow just like it's 40-foot cousins. It is 3 1/2 inches long. Making that tiny abalone Patu fit was difficult!

Wow! Really beautiful work!

Love that Boat. Letz go Fishin', we don't need hooks with that club, we can just hit'em in the head all day long. Nobody does clubs like BK. Good Stuff Man!

Nice chops Dave. :)

More work, less post! 5 weeks left!

I just filled my 10th box today of stuff headed for Hukilau... :o

How's the new studio space treating you?

It's great...like a beach shack in central Georgia! I have a club I'm finishing and some stuff to get done for a residential job and then last two week prior I'm knocking out a couple of Hukilau things. So far I will have available: Two 8-foot Cali/Marq Aloha tikis, An Akatara, a Taiaha, a Gu Gu, some beachcomber lamps and fishtraps, and a Sali. I'm also working on those 2 Maori house panels for the event. Hopefully they'll be done. A 7 and 8-footer. 10 boxes in an 8x8...that's a crowded shop! Good T.I.P.S.Y. factor..

On 2006-08-30 07:16, Benzart wrote:

Nobody does clubs like BK.

I agree with that. Terrific job. Can you post a few more pictures of it? Close ups of the detail.

JP

kia ora BK, waka taua ka pai!

Beautiful work BK, more than I could ever dream! The details on the canoe are incredible and I look forward to seeing in person. Just looking at the snaps brah, you nailed it...well done!!!

Flip-flOp-fLipPp...

Will do...just finishung a Cula-Cula for Kingstiedye as well...I'll snap them together..

Congrats on finding a great work shop space Dave! You desrve it although somehow I think it is too organized for you! HAHA Looking forward to seeing the gold coming out of that mine. Enjoy! 8FT

On 2006-08-31 20:42, Basement Kahuna wrote:
Will do...just finishung a Cula-Cula for Kingstiedye as well...I'll snap them together..

woohoo!!

I can't get enough of your clubs either, I still look at the pics of that U'u often - I think it's probably my favourite piece I've seen here. Looking forward to seeing the one you're doing for kingstiedye.

Great work on those pieces, very, very cool.

Here's a BK custom Tiki Bar I just made for a residential install...6 feet long, curved..Japanese Bamboo (grown in Jawja!)and some of my Rarotongan masks... [img]

LOVE the curved bar!

brilliant finish on it (as usual) - that will be one lucky household that takes ownership of that beauty.

Nice Bar BK! I like the masks - what's the wood in those?

What's the other side look like?

gap

that's a pretty cool lookin' bar you made! i really like the masks on the front of it. great job....as all of your work is!!

Here's a sneak peek at my sooon-to-come website! A few edits need to be done (The Sven Kirsten quote should credit: "Sven Kirsten, The Book Of Tiki)and my heading reset in my logo font, but that's it! Enjoy.. http://s172197447.onlinehome.us/basementkahuna/index.html

Dude!!

Scew the website. We need the rest (4) of the 6 tikis!!!!

ASAP!!!

For the desert!!

Arrrr!!!!!!!!!

p.s. I think my site is better!!!

Arrrr!!!!!

See you at Puke-e-lau!!!

( then I can poke you for real!!)

2 more out tomorrow...and two more on box day downtown (tuesday!)...for QK's kingdom!(Or Queendom..)

Your website look´s great,and your work is like 100 tons of inspiration!! Those surfboard-looking shields are supercool.
Keep on rocking :)

Website looks great BK, you should have some of your Maori panels on there too. I'm going to have to get one of your clubs one day...

great website design BK....gonna be in touch soon to get on your "commish" list for
something...only problem is that I would want one of everything.

Your website is going to be in my favorites!
JP

your website will be in my favorites too.

XOXOXOXO !!!!

Nice site dude!!! Just got mine up too. It's better!( just kidding) vontiki.com

Dave , Great site, very Clean and well done. And don't listen to Ben, your site is better. By the way he had heat stroke last week, so I told him all 6 were there... lol

Thanks again

Amy

Thanks, all...that isn't the finished site (still some tweaking) but a good sneak preview..Aloha! Maori house panel in progress...Cula Cula recently completed...will post some pics of the cula soon. Panel...well, maybe just a smidgeon. But not too much.. :wink:

Hey BK, Congrats on the nice web site. I'm sure this willhelp bring more of your great stuff to More peeps. Nice work!

Guess what just washed up for KTD! Here's a newly completed Cula Cula for our own Kingstiedye...shown both sides. The patina on this club turned out wonderfully....this club would pass for an original (BEWARE..I always sign my clubs now on the butt end so they can't be passed off as real, although KTD is keeping this one there are a lot of my clubs getting out there now!).

Want to gain a lot of respect for Arawa carvers? Try doing an Arawa carving! Here's the Maori house panel as it begins. Every time I do something like this whaikaro it teaches and reinforces my respect for the likes of this man..He is Pineamine Taiapa, one of the greatest Arawa carvers that ever lived. His body of work was incredible. He was also fluent in Maori and English language, knew his ancestor chain 10,000 persons back, and held three degrees. A rennaisance man.

that Cula Cula, as you call it, is a real club? Looks just like that with the rope look carving and the top like that? One day, hope to have some of your stuff. Probably would play with it all the time.