My carving journey began in 2017 on the Big Island of Hawaii, where I had the honor of apprenticing under master carver Ray Bumatay. For four years, I studied and worked alongside him, learning the traditional techniques of carving outrigger canoes—some stretching up to 20 feet in length. After Ray’s passing, I continued carving on my own, guided by the values and craftsmanship he instilled in me.

As interest in my work grew, I began crafting smaller canoe replicas that travelers could easily take home—each piece a tribute to the ocean-going heritage of Polynesia. From felling native trees to hauling logs to my own sawmill, I oversee every step of the process. I mill the wood into slabs, carve each piece by hand or CNC, and let the natural beauty of the grain shape the final form.

Every item I create is one-of-a-kind, using woods like Hawaiian Koa, monkey pod, black walnut, juniper, sweet gum, and more. In addition to traditional carving, I also use CNC technology to design custom signs and intricate 3D pieces.

In 2019, I was invited—along with three fellow carvers from Hawaii—to New Zealand to take part in a cultural documentary on Polynesian voyaging. We carved side-by-side with Maori and Tahitian artists, deepening our understanding of ancestral techniques and shared history.

Today, my handcrafted Koa outrigger canoes can be found in Hawaiian art galleries across Oahu, the Big Island, and Maui. Each piece is a story—rooted in tradition, shaped by experience, and carried forward through art.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoy my story and my work.

-Todd