The Art of Bone Carving

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="135a11c3.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="103c67d0.jpg" border=0 width="198" height="125" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Lynda Finn is a Waitakere writer, artist and author of the self-esteem book, 'Largely Happy' which seeks to help bigger people regain their health and personal pride through a non-diet approach. Formerly a regular columnist for a glossy magazine, she has had work accepted by TVNZ, the BBC and various publications both in NZ and UK.</B></div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:largelyhappy@free.net.nz" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:largelyhappy@free.net.nz"><U><B>Contact Lynda</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.netcolony.com/health/largelyhappy/welcome.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.netcolony.com/health/largelyh"><U><B>visit Lynda's web site</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#33CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Artrageous Women</B></FONT>   |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Artrageous Women"><U>home</U></A></div> <bR> <div> The Art of Bone Carving</div> <div> <B>by Lynda Finn</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="10994d70.jpg" border=0 width="404" height="215" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Bone carving, a traditionally male-orientated craft is, in the eyes of many Maori a deeply spiritual and therefore somewhat dangerous occupation from which women should be protected.</div> <div> I was the first Pakeha and the first ever woman to train on the marae near my home. I had seen a carver at work in a craft shop and asked how I could learn, he advised me to ‘keep bugging the marae committee’ until I was accepted in the workshops there! </div> <div> Before I finished my training I was invited as bone-carver-in-residence at the week-long Te Koanga Festival of Maori Arts.</div> <div> Laurie Nicholas, who went to the USA with the ‘Te Maori’ exhibition was the master carver at Te Koanga and it was an immense privilege to work alongside him. </div> <div> As a result of my work there, I was asked to submit my carvings to Te Taumata Gallery, the only Pakeha to have work sold through this prestigious showcase of Maori art.</div> <div> It is a messy business! The bones come from the abattoir (or supermarket) and have to be cleaned, by hand and there is no simple process.</div> <div> Scraped of any flesh they are then washed with hot water, bleach and detergent. This works perfectly for beef bone but not so well for horse which, whilst beautiful when finished, is incredibly greasy, the marrow from the center being waxily glutinous and foul-smelling. </div> <div> I accept totally that carving is a spiritual occupation rather than simply a physical one and I carve by commission only, I cannot turn out the mass-produced hooks and pendants seen in the flea markets.</div> <div> My prices can be anything from $20 to $600. Usually someone will come to me with a specific request, we will talk about their tribal and personal affiliation, so I can ascertain the correct style and design. Sometimes they wish to see a preliminary drawing, mostly they are happy to accept what I produce.</div> <div> It has always been my attitude that in some way I return the dignity and grace to the animal through my carvings. They live again through pieces which, in many cases, have become family heirlooms.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>