Manawatu Standard

Turning ideas into innovation

- Janine Rankin

An artist who resented the price of charcoal now has the chance to make his own artistic tools from totara.

Japanese artist Naga Tsutsumi has moved past drawing pictures in any old charcoal to inventing his own totara charcoal sticks.

After drawing for 30 years, and living in Palmerston North for 15 years, he started to resent the price of charcoal, and wanted to find a local alternativ­e.

‘‘I’ve been looking for two years. I’ve tried willow and oak, cherry and rimu.

"But I’ve found totara is not too oily or glossy, not too hard or too soft – this is the tree for me.’’

Tsutsumi’s first challenge, sourcing the raw material, was solved when a tree doctor moved in next door, and was able to provide some off-cuts.

The second was burning the timber to create the charcoal, which was tried in a friend’s fireplace. But to do it properly, he needed a kiln.

That is where his successful applicatio­n to the Earle Creativity and Developmen­t Trust in Manawatu¯ and Rangitı¯kei came up trumps, with a grant of $20,000 that will enable him to create the tools to complete his next project – to draw a totara forest with totara charcoal.

Tsutsumi was one of seven to win a share of more than $80,000 in grants awarded by the trust in 2018. The other two visual arts winners were Erana Kaa, who is developing the Tu¯ tu fashion range inspired by generation­s of Ma¯ori women, and Feilding’s Coach House Museum, for a 19-metre mural on its outside wall to be painted by Joe Mcmenamin.

Four grants were made for science and technology projects.

New Zealand’s first spirulina farm is expected to start producing the new, natural wonder-food from its Himatangi site early in January, boosted by a $15,000 grant.

Inventor Peter Vullings was awarded $8280 to complete the windscreen, wipers and retractabl­e roof of the prototype Velopetta pedal-electric luxury micro-car he hopes to manufactur­e in Manawatu¯ for export.

Former Rangitı¯kei College principal Jeff King, now working for Talent Central, received $15,000 for developing a digital connection for employers and school leavers to help get news about job opportunit­ies directly to young people looking for work.

And Stephan van Haren was awarded $8150 for developing the Great Ball Contraptio­n project, involving school students in using robotics and building blocks to move balls around.

Philanthro­pist Dick Earle, who founded the trust with his wife Mary, said he hoped the awards would not just help the successful applicants complete their projects, but inspire others.

‘‘We want to build excitement, to get ideas circulatin­g, to encourage creativity, and develop a regional climate that encourages innovation.’’

 ?? WARWICK SMITH/STUFF ?? Artist Naga Tsutsumi plans to make charcoal sticks from totara wood. His charcoal drawing was created during the Little Cuba Carnival in Palmerston North last month.
WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Artist Naga Tsutsumi plans to make charcoal sticks from totara wood. His charcoal drawing was created during the Little Cuba Carnival in Palmerston North last month.

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