Imagination
Jack explains that the rata lasts a
long, long time and notes that, “some
of it is really old already and it comes
in interesting shapes. I believe some
of the old rata is as old as the Taupo
eruption.”
“Selecting each piece of driftwood is
crucial,” he says. “I try not to cut pieces
but use them as nature has made them.
That means looking for the right pieces
on the beach for each job.”
Screwing pieces of wood together for
a sculpture may seem an easy task but
that’s where what Jack does is different.
He has an eye for what could be and
it’s the mind’s eye imagination that
separates the artist from the rest of us
mortals. Jack certainly has that gift.
So, what’s ahead? Jack would like
to do an African animal show and call
them ‘eco trophies’. For the moment
though he has busy times ahead with
his commission work. A kiwi and takahe
are his current commissions.
Jack’s work and contacts can be found
at jack-marsdenmayer.squarespace.com
— it’s worth checking out.Variety
Jack has created about 300 driftwood
creatures and most of his work is on
commission.
He has made 48 moa, from 1m to 5m
high. These are pretty popular. One
buyer has a family of five moa on his
Bay of Islands property.
He has created wild pigs, deer, a
giraffe, hawks, fish, and lions.
Sir Richard Taylor of Weta Workshops
commissioned a tahr — a type of
wild goat — and a wild pig for his
wife’s garden.
Tony Morrell commissioned three
moa for an Ellerslie Flower Show
exhibit.
Jack won the People’s Choice
award at the biennial New Zealand
Sculpture OnShore in Auckland with
a full-size Asian elephant, and his 5m
long humpback whale won the same
award in the following event.
A big driftwood bullock pulling
a log stands in the middle of
Whangamomona in eastern Taranaki.Jack’s big shed and his stock of driftwood
accumulated over 12 yearsJack and a lion’s head