ABOUT THE STUDIO
The people behind
every piece
Brett and Christine Keno — carver and keeper of the studio. Two people whose partnership shapes every stone from first conversation to final delivery.
ŌTAKI BEACH, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
Brett & Christine Keno
TOI IHO™ CERTIFIED MĀORI ARTIST · CARVING SINCE 2005
A husband and wife who turned a passion for stone into a life's work. Brett is the sculptor — Toi Iho™ certified, his Māori whakapapa lives in every piece he carves. Christine is the studio — warm, organised, and the reason everything runs.
BRETT KENO
The sculptor
behind the stone
Brett came to stone carving the long way — a career in finance gave way to the chisel in his mid-thirties, and he has never looked back. Since 2005, he has carved over 1000 pieces, shipping work to clients across New Zealand and beyond.
His whakapapa connects to Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, and Ngāi Tahu. That heritage isn’t a brand element — it lives in every form he carves. The koru, the matau, the pikorua, the manaia each carry specific meaning, and Brett doesn’t use them casually. They are part of who he is.
His approach is unhurried and deeply personal. Every piece begins with a conversation. Brett wants to understand the occasion, the space, the person — and then he brings that understanding into the stone.
TOI IHO™ — CERTIFIED MĀORI ARTIST
Toi Iho is the Māori trademark that recognises, authenticates and uplifts genuine Māori artists and the art they produce. Brett’s certification is verification — not marketing. When you commission a piece, you commission with that assurance.
CHRISTINE KENO
Two sculptors.
One studio.
Brett’s Māori design work is the heart of the studio. Christine brings her own voice to stone — and makes sure everything else actually happens. She co-teaches every workshop, manages client enquiries, and is usually the first voice people hear when they get in touch.
Christine carves her own pieces alongside Brett’s commissions. Her work sits outside the Māori design tradition — it reflects her own creative perspective — and some of her sculptures are available in the gallery. She has the distinction, as the studio likes to note, of being the first of the two to sell internationally.
Keno Sculpture is built on both of them. Come for their work. Stay because of Christine's warmth.
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