KEY POINTS:
Qualification: Certificate in Jade and Hard Stone Carving (Level 4).
Where: Tai Poutini Polytechnic (West Coast).
Contact: Ph (03) 769 9400 or 0800 800 411 (within New Zealand), email: info@tpp.ac.nz, web: www.tppweb.ac.nz.
Entry requirements: A minimum of four NCEA Level 2 English credits in reading and four credits in writing, plus a minimum of 12 NCEA Level 2 visual art credits or an acceptable portfolio of artwork.
Special admission is dependent on experience and current work.
Students with English as a second language need IELTS 5.5 or the equivalent.
Places: 16 students start February each year.
2008 course fees: Free tuition. Depending on equipment owned by students, between $800-$1000 required for materials and tools. International students approximately $12,000.
Pounamu (jade) is a popular and culturally significant carving material in New Zealand. The West Coast of the South Island is the source of most New Zealand pounamu so it is unsurprising the local Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth offers training in jade and hard stone carving.
At certificate level, students are introduced to technical and design aspects of carving in jade and hard stones.
Drawing and design are an integral part of the curriculum, with a particular focus on Maori design and Tikanga Maori. Students learn about the form, structure and history of stone. Business skills are also taught. There is also a diploma qualification.
GRADUATE Andrew McGregor
Jade carver at Jade Factory (Hokitika)
26
Graduated end of 2005.
Starting wage $12 per hour. After two years $14-$15 per hour.
I've been here over two years. The workshop has seven carvers as well as people in other roles like polishing.
The Jade Factory is a commercial environment and we have to make things quickly. We make a lot of hooks, twists, koru and mere. The focus is on accuracy of lines, balance and perfect finishes. When I started I took a couple of days to make a teardrop or hook; now I make 10 to 20 a day. It can get a bit monotonous churning them out but I'm still learning a lot and I'm making a living and working with jade so I'm happy right now.
To make a pendant you draw a design on a slab and use a trimmer to cut it out. You mark where you need the weight and balance of the piece to be and use a grinding wheel to get it symmetrical. Finishes are created through different grades of wet and dry sandpaper.
I've always liked drawing and painting but initially thought it would be too hard to find a career that was creative.
I looked at an art and design course in Christchurch, but chose the Greymouth Tai Poutini course because it was cheap and it was about carving.
During the course I learned about all the properties of jade and the history behind its formation. We were taught how to carve to a high standard and eventually we were able to create personal designs out of whatever stone we wanted. I also enjoyed learning more about Maori tikanga (protocols).
Although the certificate takes quite an artistic approach and isn't geared to commercial carving I don't think I could have started this job without having done the course.
Robert Singer
Jade Factory (Hokitika) Workshop manager
I feel Andrew is becoming a very talented carver. His creativity comes through but he is also realistic.
One of the most important qualities for a jade production carver is patience and a willingness to learn. People don't just sit down and start carving perfectly.
You need to have a good work ethic, be reliable and honest. You also need good eyesight and the ability to think in 3D before making something.
It is an advantage if you have a bit of an artistic flair but it isn't essential. You have to keep an open mind. I've been in this industry 30 years and I'm still learning to this day.
I feel some polytechnic courses are good and some aren't. It is good that students become familiar and competent using equipment such as drills doing 65,000 revs a minute. But I feel the graduates sometimes have unrealistic expectations about what they can do. Some think they know it all after a 12-month course.
Each carver here has a set target of carvings to produce each month. Once they reach that target, they can spend the rest of the month carving whatever they like. They get commission for pieces that sell over a certain amount. It is a good incentive to finish production work and do something unique - it is amazing what they come up with.
