A Quiet Chat About Stone, Carving, and What Matters

Introduction:

Kia ora. I get asked quite a bit about how I started with Pounamu and the way I work. Here’s a relaxed Q&A — just me sharing things in my own words.

Q&A

Q: How did you get started with carving Pounamu?

A: I wasn’t given a piece of pounamu until I was 21 by a dear friend. Travelling the world, it gave me a sense of home when I was far from it. A few years later I met Daryl Munro, who led me into the realms of Pounamu. He taught me the ways of the stone — about respect, depth, and the intrinsic link humans have to it.

Q: What does “Found and Carved” really mean to you?

A: It’s a dual meaning. Literally, the stones are found and carved by the same hand. But through the process I am also found and carved along the way. It’s meditative and introspective.

Q: Can you describe your carving process?

A: The process begins at first contact. The decision to put the stone in my pocket is a commitment to creating something with it. I become the hands and feet of the stone. Then I work intuitively. There’s no strict plan. The stone often shows me where it wants to go. As my mentor said, as I work the stone, the stone works me. It’s a relationship more than a craft.

Q: Who are these pieces for?

A: As I was schooled, the stone is for everyone. It sees no colour, only the depth of the soul. It is drawn to the hearts and hands of open-hearted people who feel the pull to it. People wear them daily, use them as a companion during tough times, or give them as meaningful gifts — including for healing or peace offerings. They’re made to be lived with, not just looked at. Each one is unique — no two are the same because the stones aren’t.

Closing:

Thanks for reading. If something here resonates, feel free to have a look in the shop. These pieces carry the quiet energy of the rivers and the whenua.

— Mark Rutherford McPherson

Found and Carved, Motueka, Aotearoa