simon lardelli
Gisborne

 

Working late into the night at his home studio, after a full days work teaching at Toihoukura School of Maori Art and Design has been Simon Lardelli's world for the past five years. Any tutor can tell you that finding the effort to create after spending the day giving is a tough ask. The question for Simon was what to do with the many beautiful Taonga that were being created in his home studio rarely seeing the light of day…

Simon has now made that big decision. To let himself go with the work, and put more time and renewed effort in to developing a career and a living in his chosen field. A decision which was inspired in part by his students and peers at Toihoukura, who enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle based around their art, as well as his time in the public eye as an artist during the visiting Beijing Sculpture Exhibition 2007.

Simon has been practising art for many years now. He first left Gisborne to study at Waiariki Institute of Technology in 1989, spending 4 years there beginning his career as a carver. In 1993 he started what was to be another 4 year stint carving the wharenui (meeting house) Ihenga, with renowned carver and artist Lionel Grant. Simon then returned to Waiariki, this time in a teaching capacity. 12 years of learning, practising and giving.

In 2002, Simon came home with his whanau, returning in large part for the lifestyle that Gisborne offers. He spent six months carving Pa Waha with Nathan Foote at Lytton High School, until assuming a teaching position at Toihoukura following on from Sandy Adsett.

Now Simon is planning for this new phase of his artistic career; planning and creating, and working to materialise dreams that have long been in the making. And don't be surprised if you find the work changes…Simon gets bored and likes to find new ways to challenge himself.

Simon has mulitple albums/slideshows loaded on his page, just click the icon located at the bottom left of the currently showing slideshow to see other options.

Simon can be contacted for commission work on: (06) 867 4740
or you can email him at: nga.toki@xtra.co.nz