TATTOO LAMP
base 16" x 11" x 8", shade 11" high
Fishtail Oak

The Mauna Kea Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii has a wonderful Pacific
Island art collection displayed throughout the building. The pattern you see
on the "Tattoo" lamp is adapted from a 19th century ceremonial Cook Island canoe paddle that was installed on a wall in the hotel. I love the
juxtaposition of the dense grid pattern and the scalloped fish tail design.
It took about two weeks to complete the carving which wraps around the
entire lamp base. A detail of the carving is shown below.

The body and base are made of fishtail oak, both plain and dyed. The body was oiled after being carved. The cord has an online dimmer.