A flair for building runs in Jamie's family; this was a primary contributor to his interest in wood sculpting. As a boy, he loved to spend time in his grandfather’s Hawke’s Bay workshop, fixing and creating using various tools and machinery. His interest was further stoked by his father, Don. They worked together on cars, treehouses, and other projects—from the get-go, Jamie has been a hands-on craftsman.
Post-school, Jamie worked at three different yards to complete his apprenticeship in the boat-building trade. There, he developed skills in crafting with timber, steel, and fibreglass materials—most especially, he enjoyed working with wood. Jamie learnt to be patient, as working with these hard materials required lots of precision, focus, and innovation.
Naval architect Craig Loomes is a primary influence of Jamie's work. The attention to form and line to create aesthetically considered boats demonstrated that visual quality is just as important as practicality—a principle Jamie advocates in his own sculpting.
While raising a family had Jamie stepping back from sculpting for some 15 years, he has now returned to it with new vigour. With the support of his wife, Carla, Jamie recently sold his business to fully satisfy his artistic inclination.
The process of sculpting is an instinctive and pleasurable process for Jamie, due to the organic nature of wood. Always experimenting with form, his style celebrates physicality in the creation of his wall pieces. Shaped naturally and seamlessly through gentle steam-bending, his wooden pieces are a beautiful addition to our gallery.
If you're after something especially bespoke and personal, Jamie is available for commissions through Turua—just say the word!
To hear all about Jamie's path to being a full time artist & how his stunning sculptures come together click here to listen to Jamie's podcast with Mandy from Creative Matters.
