User:Hawtea

Simon attended Waiariki Polytechnic in Rotorua from 1989 to 1992, studying in the visual arts program taught by Robert Jahnke. In 1990 he participated in the Taharora Marae project on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, designing and carving poupou (carved figures) and then the front of the meeting house. From 1993 to 1996 he assisted master carver Lyonel Grant on the wharenui (ancestral meeting house) Ihenga at Waiariki Polytechnic. Later, employed by Waiariki Institute of Technology (formerly Waiariki Polytechnic), he tutored in design, sculpture and carving and assisted in a series of major projects for his iwi (people). Since 2001, he has lived with his whanau (family) in Gisborne. He carved a wharenui/pawaha (entranceway) for his old high school, and he is currently a tutor in tertiary-level sculpture carving at the Toihoukura School of Māori Visual Arts at Tairawhiti Polytechnic in Gisborne. He has participated in many exhibitions and attended art hui (gatherings) throughout New Zealand.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.He is also the father of three. T, H, H.