The Bone Dude's Bone Carving Studio and Cultured Gallery was opened in 2003 but the Christchurch earthquake on 22nd February 2011 has destroyed that building, along with many others in Christchurch. Fortunately no one was hurt or killed in our area and I'm grateful for that. I was very fortunate to be able to retrieve all of my gear with the help of friends and family, whom I can't thank enough. 30 seconds of shaking ground has created an instant new life for many people here in Canterbury, me included and I'd like to acknowledge all of those who have supported and encouraged me to rebuild my business and keep going. The new studio that I've set up, is in the converted garage at my home will offer just 1 session per day from 12 - 4 pm Monday to Friday and 10 - 1pm Saturdays. I will offer other sessions, evening etc for groups of 3 or more. The maximum number I can have at a session will be limited to 8 people. Unfortunately I'm unable at this stage to host anybody in a wheelchair as my "facilities" aren't wheelchair friendly! The focus of my studio is to give people an introduction to Contemporary Bone Carving, not necessarily to train them to become Bone Carvers but to give people the opportunity to have a go at creating their own unique carving and to give them an insight into their own creativity and the potential of Bone as an artistic medium using mainly hand tools. It is also our intention to try and put a little honesty and integrity back into people's experience of New Zealand and carving. We provide a range of 16 different designs that serve as a starting point for your own carving adventure but people are welcome to design their own as long as what ever they come up with is their own design. I don't allow people to copy the work of other carvers, if their work appeals then buy it from them. Our idea is that if you can start with a simple design then if you choose to carry on at home you will have a better idea about the process and potentially what is possible with simple hand tools. There are other studios in New Zealand where they teach you how to use machinery but you are obligated to buy that machinery in order to carry on. I believe that as long as you follow our simple process that you will finish your session here with a much better carving than you could buy from most craft outlets. I am obliged to also point out that I don't allow people to make Traditional Maori Designs. There are people out there producing this type of work who don't realize the significance of these designs or understand the origins of this work. I also don't offer the "stories" that are commonly found with Bone Carvings. If you design something it has the meaning that you give it, but to think that a fish hook for example will guarantee safe journey over water or that a whales tail represents speed are the notions of the mis-informed If you are creating a carving for someone else then I would say to you, all the nice things you feel for that person are what you should think about while you are making their carving so that when you give it to them and tell them you made it for them. This I believe is the greatest gift you can give. As we have found recently in New Zealand our souvenir shops are full of Carvings, both Traditional and Contemporary that are not necessarily made in this country. Unfortunately some people have taken designs from New Zealand and sent them overseas to be made then shipped back to New Zealand to be sold to unsuspecting visitors to our country. There is nothing on the packaging to suggest that these carvings aren't in fact made here and for all intents and purposes they are presented in such a way to give the impression that they are made here. |