Living artist
Tom Koene is a craftsman tiler - and an artist. He was born in the Netherlands and learned his craft doing restoration in Amsterdam, learning traditional methods and styles.
Tom has worked in New Zealand since 1982. One day he was asked to do the tiling on the gecko that lies beside Khyber Pass Rd, under the motorway. Since then he has not looked back. Some of his work is traditional, like Mexican bathrooms, but most is entirely unique, while influenced by Friederich Hundertwasser, an unusual and rebellious Austrian artist who also came to live in New Zealand and who designed the famous toilet block in Kawakawa.
Tom's designs are playful, anarchic, and finely detailed with tiles that are hugely variable and often unique, with imperfections from the production process that give them curious colours and textures. 95% of the tiles are created and hand glazed in New Zealand. Included also may be pieces of pottery and stones, all skilfully integrated into free flowing forms, like flowers and koru, and patterns that lead to discoveries of new resonances over time and space each day.
Examples of Tom’s work include bathrooms and kitchens, indoor and outdoor patios and walls, paths, steps, pool areas, arches, barbeques, baths, benches, murals, birdbaths, pillars and other free-standing structures. In my case it was an ensuite, and Tom welcomed my collaboration and help, although mainly in preparation of tiles, rather than design, which I soon learned was best left to the master, after defining the scope and dimensions.
The results are delightful and professional, works of art that can never be repeated. Thank you, Tom for catching that sense of fun and colour and bringing it into my home, to give me a sense of childhood delight each day.
For more pics: insta@tom_organic_tiling
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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32.5% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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67.5% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Goldco Antique Buyers in Auckland Region
WANTED WANTED WANTED:
Gold • Coins • Watches • Banknotes • Antique • Jewellery • Collectables
The market for many antiques, collectables, vintage watches, artefacts, gold and silver items has been buoyant these past few years. So if you are considering selling any of these or similar items then our specialist buyers would like to make an offer.
Any items will be considered so please don’t be shy and visit one of our venues.
Large or valuable collections? Single items? Downsizing, moving or decluttering? Family not interested? or simply turning unwanted items into cash.
*Immediate payment made *No commission or waiting *Free no obligation appraisal *Onsite security *Please have your bank details handy
Whether you have a large and valuable collection or a single item of broken jewellery please take this opportunity to see us at a venue near you.
See us at a venue near you - See venues here:
Goldco Antique Buyers | Member NZNDA | website email: goldco@xtra.co.nz | Ph: 0800 105 228
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