The art of carving Netsuke originated with the Japanese. Tiny objects of beauty were often carved from boxwood and formerly from ivory.

They were utilitarian, in that they were used as part of Japanese dress, and had a hole carved in them through which a cord could be passed. My carvings should correctly be called Okimono, as I do not include this hole. They are miniatures in their own right.

I had been carving in wood for about ten years before deciding that my skill had reached the level necessary to create these small jewel- like objects. There are very few people in the world who carve Netsuke, they require many hours of painstaking work. I use only hand tools, a small rasp for the initial shaping then gouges and knives.

The wood itself imparts character to the work as it progresses, creating a finished carving which is unique in design and impossible to copy.