Something about the carvings...

 The carvings are done in ¾” or 1” thick acrylic sheet. Acrylic is an amazingly clear material, much more so than glass and I’ve always thought that if it wasn't for its edges it would be invisible! The images are “reverse” carved into the back of the piece, so they are worked from the “inside out”. Some pieces have been commissioned, some have been for charities and some have been gifts. Painting or coloring the inside of the carving isn’t done because it interferes with one of the amazing characteristics of the material, the transmission of light. The pieces in the photos are an average of one square foot, but there have been smaller and bigger ones, the biggest being done on the inside of an acrylic church pulpit! Depending on the degree of detail required, they can take up to between 40 to 60 hours to complete. They are usually mounted into an oak base, some of which have a built in light that illuminates from the bottom up, giving a great effect. As mentioned these carvings can take time to complete, many hours but they just must not be rushed. Each one in it’s own way really needs to be planned carefully, there’s little room for errors. Mother Teresa took a long time, and getting that habit of hers to look like it was soft and flowing was a challenge! The photos are of pieces done over the years. Some were commissioned and should be living happily somewhere, while a few are still living at home. With a few exceptions, Mother Teresa being one, they too would like a good home. I tend to grow attached to the finished piece as it looks back at me from the lounge windowsill. Sunlight puts life into the subject and rainbows into the room…Prices  depend on the complexity, and can range from $200 to $1000. I work mostly from photos in my own collection but have had a few carvings commissioned from pictures that friends have brought in. Each piece will always be a “one of a kind” because even if I tried to do a copy there would be the inevitable little differences. Born in South Africa, the son of a real life crocodile hunter, (lots of stories there!) I grew up with an appreciation of wild things. I wasn’t into the hunting aspect, just sitting quietly out in the bush and letting the world come alive around me was much more my thing. This appreciation is still alive and well and has been behind my efforts to capture these “wild things” in acrylic.