The Dunedin stonemason and sculptor has an exhibition at the Forrester Gallery entitled 8 Years - 8 Works.
The exhibition, which runs until April 10, shows his progress pursuing the art of figurative carving and sculpting. It began eight years ago with a low relief carving and, from there, the figures became more detailed. Busts of himself and his wife, Renee, completed the journey.
An exhibition by Mr Wainwright in Dunedin about five years ago captured the attention of Forrester Gallery director Warwick Smith.
It was a great honour to be invited by Mr Smith to exhibit at the Forrester and he could not imagine a better building to suit his work, he said.
He was looking for a challenge and the technical side of figurative carving was challenging. It was also about reviving traditional crafts and keeping them going - something about which he was passionate.
The exhibition was a highlight of an "apprenticeship" in classical figurative carving that began in 2003. There was now a feeling that he had finished that period of training and could move on.
Mr Wainwright, who trained as a headstone mason in Germany, has always been fascinated by the work of crafts people and artisans from a bygone era.
"Even though my stone carving apprenticeship was of a high standard, there seemed to be a significant missing link between the works we were doing and the work we admired.
"This gap from where our training and the education ended to reviving the skills and techniques of the past has been ... a constant passion and drive of mine."
While working in Germany, he felt he could never step out from what he was doing and be more creative.
Since moving to New Zealand he has not felt so observed or judged and has been able to be more creative.
Mr Wainwright was always trying to find meaning in his work - he did not like "doing things nonsensical" - and he thought very much in a traditional way, believing everything should have a purpose or reason.
He has been busy working on the restoration of the Larnach family's tomb in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery, which included about three weeks working inside the tomb.
It was difficult not to think about whose resting place it was and how they lived a life 100 years ago.
William Larnach might have been dead for more than 100 years "but I'm still working for him - it's a strange thing", he said.
