Kauri Art, Furniture & Objects
From his studio on Waiheke Island, renowned artist John Freeman transforms ancient New Zealand Kauri timber into timeless pieces of beauty, energy and balance. Each piece in John’s collection is unique, has its own story, and is thousands of years in the making.
Featured work
All prices exclude shipping costs. Please contact John separately for a quote.
Meet the artist
Based on beautiful Waiheke Island, New Zealand, John Freeman is one of the world’s most experienced and respected ancient Kauri artists.
A master sculptor, stone carver, and kaitiaki (guardian) of ancient Kauri taonga (treasure), John draws on his 40-year collection of prized timber to transform each piece into a symbol of rebirth and resilience.
“I fell in love with Waiheke and its people. Here I have my studio and workshop where visitors can view my collection and purchase genuine New Zealand taonga to take home.
Kauri wood tells a story of its life, some 30,000 years ago. It has an outstanding beauty with chatoyant grain patterns and colour like no other material. It fulfils a desire to work with a life force that lived and breathed, and had a whole ecological system surrounding it.”
Discover his craft
As a master craftsman, John’s collection includes Kauri sculptural pieces, tables, and stone carvings.
Kauri Art & Objects
Furniture
Stone Carving
Visit the studio
Nestled in native bush just up the road from Little Oneroa beach, John’s studio is an Aladdin’s cave of Kauri - a vast collection built up over more than 40 years.
John partners with Ananda Tours, Waiheke’s premium tour operator, to give you the opportunity to visit and see the studio and works for yourself. Come and experience huge Kauri root systems, rough-sawn slabs, work-in-progress sculptures and finished pieces.
Not part of a tour and want to visit? Please contact John directly to organise a time.
Kauri slabs: raw or refined
I offer sawn slabs of ancient Kauri for sale in their raw form within New Zealand.
For export, under the Forests Act 1949, the item must be in its final form, a product in its own right, and ready for immediate use or installation without any further modification.
Which means if you live outside NZ and would like a Kauri slab made into a table or art piece, I’m happy to help design and finish it for you.
My Kauri slabs are generally priced between NZ$500 and $3,000 excluding shipping.
Please get in touch for more information on any of them.
Shipping & insurance
John has over 40 years’ experience shipping artwork both within New Zealand and internationally.
Working closely with Pack&Send - New Zealand’s leader in packing and shipping art and antiques - means peace of mind knowing your newly-purchased work will arrive safely, in the same condition it left the studio.
Your work is also covered by warranty, so it’s protected against loss or damage.
Please note that displayed prices do not include shipping. That can range from free local pickup, to around NZ$1,200 for international delivery to the US or Europe - depending on size and weight.
Please contact John directly for a shipping quote.