Stone sculptures feature
Sculptures made from New Zealand’s precious stones are on display during the Taranaki Arts Trail.
For the past two years, Phil Pollock and his friend Greg Johnston have created stone basins, bowls and outdoor creations using stones from around the country.
This year, Phil and Greg have decided to share their sculptures with the public by entering the Taranaki Arts Trail. As well as showcasing their works in the Taranaki Arts Trail, they post their creations on their Facebook page, says Phil.
“Our Hamerstone Crafts Facebook page has all of the pieces on it that are available for purchase.”
Their work has been purchased both around the country and overseas.
“We have sold pieces all over the country and overseas. It’s quite cool to think that our creations are all over the place.”
Phil says he and Greg collect the stones themselves.
“We’ve collected stones from the East Coast, Bay of Plenty and Manawatu¯. A lot of the stones are exotic and can be quite hard to find. We spend a lot of time in the bush to find it. We have jasper, opal and a whole lot of things.”
Their interest stemmed from their passion for geology, says Phil.
“We collect fossils. We decided to branch out more and we started collecting the stones. We thought we could repurpose them so we’ve made some of them into sculptures and
have kept some as they are.”
He says depending on the sculpture they create, the process can take from two hours to four days. Each stone tells a story, Phil says. “Most of the rocks are altered by hydrothermal or metamorphic processes. They all tell a story of the country we live in which is interesting in itself. It’s very educational.”
He says by entering the Taranaki Arts Trail, more people have the opportunity to see New Zealand’s precious stones.
“It’s pretty amazing. No two rocks are the same. ”