Sculpture takes shape despite setback

Blenheim artist Jakob Stadler works on a gold miner sculpture in the Naseby playground. The...
Blenheim artist Jakob Stadler works on a gold miner sculpture in the Naseby playground. The sculpture base is an Italian cypress tree which had died. His initial plan had to be altered when he discovered a large section of the tree was rotten. PHOTO: JULIE ASHER
It was rotten luck in Naseby this week when a tree to be sculpted was found to be less sound than expected once it was cut.

Blenheim sculptor Jakob Stadler was engaged by Naseby Vision to turn a tree stump in the children’s playground into a miner panning for gold.

However, when he began work on Monday, cutting large blocks from the tree with a huge chainsaw with a 2m bar, he found the timber had rotted and the original design would not work.

Fortunately, his co-worker and wife, Katie, is a graphic artist and, between them, they altered the original design to work with what they had.

"It’s really disappointing, but part of the process. The tree always dictates the design," Mrs Stadler said.

The couple worked together in the initial stages — she would draw the design and he would rough cut blocks from the tree to create a form to be worked with.

"[The initial design] is very much a rough sketch. He is the master of detail — faces, hands, fingers and clothes," she said.

Then there were hours of work with chisels and a wooden hammer creating the design’s details, Mr Stadler said.

Working with unknown trees at hand meant there could not be too much planning ahead.

Because of the condition of the tree, the work was taking longer than anticipated, as there was some surgery required grafting timber into place to give the correct shape.

Mr Stadler came from Uri, in central Switzerland, and despite wanting to be a wood sculptor, he became a forester when he left school.

"In Switzerland everybody sculpts ... there’s no living in it."

His father was a carpenter and carver so an interest in working with wood had been lifelong.

During his forestry apprenticeship he created his first sculpture with a chainsaw, which was a swan.

"I never in my dreams thought that I would be flat out as a sculptor."

He met his wife while in New Zealand on a working visa and has never left. In his Blenheim workshop he makes furniture when not sculpting outdoors.

The last commission he completed before heading to Naseby was a life-sized Clydesdale horse for a North Canterbury hotel.

"We literally traced around one of our horses for the shape," Mrs Stadler said.

She runs an animal park and riding school and is also a keen painter.

Staying on the job while sculpting was great, she said.

"We love our working holidays. He works and I holiday."

However, Mr Stadler said it was a team effort.

"I couldn’t do it without her."