Waipu eagle takes off

 

Waipu’s Greg Maddox is widely known for his driftwood sculpture under the Tapatai Driftwood Creations banner. One of his more recent creations was entered in the Whangarei Sculpture Symposium during which a wide variety of sculptures and garden art were displayed, with 26 pieces being auctioned.

The theme of the symposium was ‘migration’ and Greg’s piece was the Pouakai – the Haast Eagle. In Maori mythology, the pouakai is a monstrous bird. The myth may even refer to the real but now extinct Haast's eagle, a bird of massive size and strength, believed to have hunted the moa and which also had the capability to possibly kill humans.

Haast's eagles did not become extinct until around one hundred years after the arrival of the Maori, and their extinction was thought to have been due to overhunting loss of natural habitat.

The Maddox eagle was auctioned along with 25 other creations. Strong bidding saw the piece sell for $3900, well above its reserve of $2500.

It also won the People’s Choice Award, attracting 450 of the 1000 votes posted.

Greg’s work has evolved from his background in design and 3D art installations around the world and his creations in driftwood are noted for their attention to detail and realistic perspective. More of his creations can be seen on ttcreative.co.nz or Tapatai on facebook.

POPULAR: Greg Maddox’s driftwood sculptures have built up a strong following.