Thieves scarper with sculpture

Shirley Gilzean isn’t a name familiar to art lovers, but her sculpture seems to be a hot item on the art black market.

Last week, the Horowhenua woman’s first and only attempt at stone carving was stolen from the driveway of her home in Levin and she wants it back.

Gilzean said the thieves most likely drove halfway up her driveway to the koru-shaped sculpture, which sat on a piece of wood out of sight from the road.

The piece was taken between 11am and 5.30pm last Thursday, while she and her husband were out.

‘‘I came home and I thought ‘oh that’s funny, where’s that gone?’

‘‘It was a bit of a letdown. It’s just dumb ... it’s annoying to know that someone else lifted it. It’s the principle of the thing.’’

A reward is being offered for the koru’s safe return, no questions asked.

‘‘I could have made you one had you asked.’’

The sculpture weighed between 18 and 20 kilograms, and was made from white Oamaru stone.

‘‘It’s not as if kids have walked away with it,’’ Gilzean said.

There was no attempt made to get into the house, and no other visible damage was done.

A red sculpture she bought in Martinborough that was hanging on her gazebo was also taken. However, a pot holder and a ceramic lizard were not.

‘‘They obviously knew what they were after,’’ Gilzean said.

Gilzean did not have an artistic background - the koru was carved in a free six-hour workshop at Levin’s Te Takere early last year.

It was about 50 centimetres wide, 30cm long and 10cm deep. Police had been notified. She said the incident had not put her off doing more stone carving in the future.