A sculpting symposium started taking shape at Orokonui Ecosanctuary in Dunedin yesterday.
Land artist Russell Moses, of Port Chalmers, stone carvers Rory McDougall, of Hokitika, and Tania Turei, of Waitati, and wood carver Dave McGhie, of Wellington, will sculpt to the symposium theme ''natural materials in a modern way''.
Mr McGhie said that when the artists were walking to the symposium opening, a kaka was flying overhead, ''twisting in the early morning light''.
The ''red flashes'' of the bird's wings were a positive sign for the week, he said.
''It was a perfect sign to start the symposium,'' Mr McGhie said.
''It was very cool.''
Mr McGhie said the symposium would be held every second year and the sculptures would be left for visitors to enjoy.
''My works tend to be interactive, I love people to touch it, to use something sensory to engage with the work. Even if they laugh at it, it is still a good emotion.''
His ''organic abstract'' sculpture would be carved from dry macrocarpa, felled at the ecosanctuary in 2006, he said.
