PAUL BECKETT WOODCRAFT

Nowadays virtually all the native timber in New Zealand is strictly protected by National Parks and Scenic reserves, so Paul collects all the timber for his exhibition pieces by returning to the 20th century logging tracks throughout the North Island, searching for ‘tops' - the upper portion of the tree left behind by the original bushman. Under a protective canopy of native forest regrowth, he finds enormous ‘butts' and ‘tops' suitable for his work. The salvage of these pieces is sometimes laborious in steep hill country, as individual blocks weigh up to one hundred and fifty kilograms (330 pounds), but with this recycling a priority, Paul believes his recovery methods to be ‘production with conservation' and also to show respect for the Mana of New Zealand's Native Forests... Over the last thirty years Paul has built a reputation as one of the World's most accomplished end-grain woodturners, having invented chisels and cutting methods used throughout New Zealand, Australia and the..