Ringa Toi | Artist

Lewis Tamihana Gardiner

Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau Ā Apanui, Ngāi Tahu

In 1994, he graduated in Māori Craft and Design at the Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua. During his final year, he was introduced to the valuable medium of pounamu (New Zealand Greenstone) and was immediately attracted to its artistic possibilities. In 1995, he became a full-time pounamu and bone carver specializing in traditional Māori imagery. Since then he has developed his own style and helped shape other carvers’ perspectives on the use of pounamu.

Winning the bi-annual Mana Pounamu Awards for contemporary Māori design in 1999, 2001, and 2003, further enhanced his reputation as one of the major pounamu artists. In 2009, Lewis was appointed as the inaugural Tumu Whakairo (Head of School) of Te Takapū O Rotowhio (the National Stone and Bone Carving School) at the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute with his focus on creating pathways for his students.

Lewis vacated this role in 2013 to continue his own artistic development. He looked to form a co-operative with fellow practitioners of cultural artistic excellence who shared his ideal of traditional practices with contemporary application, many of these practitioners are his former students who are striving for their own “Artistic excellence” as part of the Rākai team.

Joel Marsters

Te Arawa, Te Whakatohea

Ko Ngongotaha te maunga
Ko Rotorua-Nui-A -Kahumatamoemoe
te moana
Ko Te Arawa te waka
Ko Te Arawa te Iwi

Joels main medium is pounamu however he has worked with other mediums such as bone and other culturally important stones such as Onewa (greywacke) & Pākohe (argillite).

Whilst a student at Tē Tākapu o Rōtōwhio (Stone, bone & pounamu) school at Tē Pūia Joel has learnt the importance of looking at the old Taonga (treasures) of the Māori to inspire the works that he creates. Joel graduated from Tē Pūia in March 2013 and has been carving as a professional artist since.

Joel hopes to give back to his īwi and hāpū (tribe & sub tribe) in some way and believes that by maintaining a love & passion for the work will keep the art of Whākairo (carving) alive. Joel has a strong work ethic and attitude which drives him to research develop and master each piece he creates.