Te Koha Gallery

The carve your own studio started in a container beside our gallery, Te Koha Gallery years ago and from working with one grinder and one station we have progressed to a workshop at the back of the gallery with 6 work stations and a full time tutor. Many people of all nationalities and age have created their own personalised carving, either as a pendant, bracelet, touchstone or ornament for themselves or as that very special gift. We explain why working the jade and other stones by hand is an old age tradition handed down from our ancestors to put your individual energy and wairua (spirit) into the carving making it uniquely personal. No skill base is required. It is a warm and friendly environment, flexible with times and available 7 days a week. We only use New Zealand stone from our rivers and people choose which piece of stone they would like to use for their carving. This is often the most important part of the carving process and can inspire people with their design using the natural colours of the stone to enhance. We explain about the stone, its origins and properties. The most important stone is the Nephrite Jade, known here in New Zealand as Greenstone. We have all varieties of the jade here on offer for carvers. Equally important in our culture, the unique Aotea Stone is available as well. Aotea (NZ Kyanite) can only be sourced from one river in the world and that is located in South Westland. Melding blue kyanite, green fuschite and white quartz has proved a very, very popular choice. Tangi-wai (Bowenite) , a cousin to jade, is a translucent stone, used in the olden days for earrings. Rhodonite – a semi precious gemstone, very pink with black inclusions. Found in Central Otago. Both traditional and contemporary designs are available, with help from the tutor people chose or create a design which is then transferred to their stone. Then the process of carving begins from start to finish. Our facebook page and Trip Advisor page are a tribute to how popular this activity is and we have so much positive and happy feedback. Many photos are on our facebook page. We are 100% New Zealand products and are proud to feature the work of Bevan Climo. It is family owned and operated by Michael and Jannene Goodall, longtime residents of Franz Josef Glacier. With help from in the carving studio from their daughter Nevada and Chinese speaking Selena the shop is operated 7 days a week. Michael is off Manipoto/Tainui descent and happy to share his maori heritage with visitors. People are able to look in the workshop and can often be shown the raw stone from which a piece they are buying has been carved from or may request a commission piece for themselves. Biographies are available with the other carver work. Wooden carvings in NZ Kauri along with traditional whalebone, bone are on offer. The greenstone carvings are 100% NZ jade and carved by us, Bevan or other local carvers.. As well as the jade jewellery, jewellery is available in the other pounamu stones being – Bowenite, Aotea, Serpentine and Rhodonite. Along with other treasures and souvenirs for sale, there are beautiful jade sculptures for the connoisseur or collector to purchase.
Please come in to have a look at the workshop.