Sands Carving Studio

Sands Carving Studio is a pounamu carving studio and gallery in Frankton, Hamilton (Kirikiriroa), led by carver Alex Sands (Ngāti Kahungunu o Te Wairoa). Taonga are hand carved on-site from New Zealand pounamu, alongside bone, wood and other natural materials, in both traditional and contemporary Māori designs.

Alex began carving at the age of 12 while growing up in China, shaping small pieces of soft stone with simple files and chisels, and has since dedicated his working life to pounamu. Today he leads a small team at the studio, including carver Aaron Marshall (Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato), while a veteran Hamilton jeweller who began his apprenticeship in 1966 creates the silver and gold settings for many of the studio’s pounamu pieces.

The range covers pendants and jewellery, sculptures, taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments) and ceremonial weaponry, with forms such as hei tiki, hei toki, hei matau, manaia, pikorua and koru. Custom carving is also available.

The studio runs carve-your-own workshops, where visitors shape their own taonga under the guidance of the studio’s carvers. No experience is needed, and the sessions cover the cultural background of each carving form as well as the carving itself.