Tēnei au e tuku mihi nunui ki a koutou katoa mai i tōku whatumanawa.
Greetings to all first time visitors to my site. I extend a very warm welcome to you all.
ABOUT ME
_
My name is Brett Tutauanui Keno, stone carver and sculptor. I whakapapa to Ngaiterangi, Ngati Ranginui, and Ngai Tahu. I am married to Christine. We have two children. I was born in New Zealand and live in Upper Hutt City (New Zealand's Gateway to the Outdoors). After 15 years with ANZ National Bank, I now work for Taupo Moana Group, a Maori organisation dedicated to assisting Maori financial businesses.
I began stone carving January 2005. It was my wife Christine that suspected I had a creative side watching me "doodle" with our preschool son. We passed a public invitation to a local stone carving symposium - and my wife signed me up.
I have a daughter whose 21st birthday preceded the stone carving symposium and she hinted to me that nowadays 21st presents consist of "Taonga" (treasure) and not 21st keys. She explained that large greenstone pieces, or similar Maori art work were considered appropriate. At a loss to locate a suitable piece or artisan to commission, my wife suggested I carve it from stone....
The stone carving symposium proved to be a wonderful forum to learn and enjoy the art of stone carving. I learned from watching others (there were 60 sculptors at the stone carving symposium). The feedback and prices from my first attempts were very positive and encouraged me to continue to do stone carving. I have had requests for sculptures over the past couple of years, but didn't have the time to fulfill them all! I now work 4 days a week for Taupo Moana Group, and spend one day stone carving.
Interest in my Maori heritage came to me later in life.
Now I find it very satisfying to be enhancing and promoting the development of Maori Business on one hand, and creating sculptures influenced by Maori on the other.
I am grateful for the continual support and feedback I receive about my sculptures, and maintain that I am still very much a novice learning something new everytime I put chisel to stone.
ABOUT MY SCULPTURES
I always incorporate traditional or stylised Maori designs into my sculptures. There are several basic Maori designs that I use in my works. I often stylise the shapes for added effect, or because it's appropriate for the piece I am working on. The shapes vary from smooth and curvaceous to textured and sharp. The angles, edges, and curves cast wonderful shadows when light interacts with the stone.Beyond the obvious aesthetic appeal, each design of my sculpture has a meaning that tells a story. For instance: The "koru" sculpture depicts a new fern shoot unfolding, which represents new beginnings, new growth, purity, peace and tranquility. You can relate these meanings to your life or the life of someone you know, and in doing so, you instantly form an emotional attachment to the sculpture!
Brett Keno
New Zealand Stone Carving Artist and Sculptor
| Login | Hosting and content management by Anuko |