Details
- Maker•Courtney Petley
- Medium•Wood
- Origin•Aotearoa
- Timber•Swamp Kauri
- Dimensions•250mm long × 150mm wide × 143mm high
Description
Hand carved from a single piece of Swamp Kauri by Courtney Petley in Auckland, the Elephant is shaped as a solid sculptural form, with a raised trunk, broad ears and gently rounded body emerging from the timber.
Small natural cracks run through the Elephant’s ears, retained as part of the organic detail of the timber. With its trunk raised, the form also carries the traditional association of an elephant with its trunk up bringing good luck.
Swamp Kauri is an ancient New Zealand timber, preserved underground for thousands of years before being carefully recovered. This rare timber is prized for its stunning grain patterns, rich golden-brown hues, and remarkable stability. Each piece tells a story spanning millennia, making the Elephant a truly unique piece.
Impurities, cracks, knots and nail holes are signs of the natural material and its previous use. Courtney considers these markings a thing of beauty, purposely preserving and including them to celebrate and honour the history, age and natural beauty of the timber.
Shipping
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- 【66】Courtney Petley
Courtney Petley is a self-taught woodworker based in Auckland, New Zealand, who found her passion for woodworking in 2014. Originally from the fashion industry, Courtney began carving with an axe, a knife and an old piece of Rimu floorboard, making her first kitchen utensil one winter evening. What started as a hobby grew into a full-time practice by 2017, expanding beyond kitchen utensils to include chopping boards, furniture, lighting and sculptural objects.
Working predominantly with reclaimed native New Zealand timbers, Courtney’s practice is grounded in an appreciation for functional design and the natural character of the wood. Each piece is made by hand, allowing the grain, colour, age and imperfections of the timber to remain an integral part of the finished object.
Courtney also shares her knowledge through spoon-making workshops, teaching others the hand-carving techniques that first began her own woodworking practice.
