{"title":"Curious Exhibition at Little Rosie","description":"\u003cp\u003e Little Rosie Cafe, 76 Gladstone Road, Parnell, Auckland, 29 September to 13 October 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"earth-from-space","title":"\"Meditation on Earth\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMeditation on Earth\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind wall work by New Zealand artist John Allen. At 850 × 850 mm and 24 kg, it has a substantial presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the piece is a slab of limestone from Turkey which is remarkable: it looks just like a black and white photograph of the Earth from space. Vast expanses of landscape are visible in its surface — rivers, valleys, mountains, plains, the slow geography of a world seen from above. The stone carries within it the record of millions of years of geological time, compressed into a surface that reads, at a glance, like an image of the planet. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlaced on the limestone in accordance with the golden ratio — the ancient proportion found throughout nature and art — is a tiny white river stone from the South Island, providing a focal point. It is a starting place and a stopping place: a small, bright mark from which the eye departs on its journey across the limestone landscape, and to which it returns. It anchors the vastness. It gives the viewer somewhere to stand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kauri frame is built in the manner of a Japanese Zen garden wall — with an overhanging roof and a surround that evokes the viewing platform from which a traditional garden is contemplated. The mat board is cut around the stone in a way that deepens this reference, framing the limestone as a garden is framed — as something to be entered slowly, with full attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eMeditation on Earth\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Turkish limestone, South Island river stone, NZ kauri frame, hardwood, paint, oil, wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInspiration: Japanese Zen garden tradition; golden ratio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 850 × 850 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 24 kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisplay: Wall-hung (requires secure fixing)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52905397649568,"sku":null,"price":2500.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/Photoroom_20251010_154451.jpg?v=1760064603"},{"product_id":"contemplation-of-transience-2021","title":"\"Transience\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTransience (2021)\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind wall work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a piece of strong presence, rare material, and quiet philosophical depth. Transience: the fact that everything passes, that nothing stays, and that this is the very condition that makes beauty possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe puriri pieces in the centre of this composition come from a fallen tree on a Northland beach that the artist has known since childhood — a tree that has been lying in the same place on the same sand, decade after decade. For more than fifty years it has been shaped by the sea, the sun, and the creatures of the shore. It is eaten away, hollowed, worn. And yet the wood retains its extraordinary dark green-gold colour — the deep, vibrant hue that very old puriri holds, full of life even in its weathering. This contrast is the subject of the piece: life and death, presence and erosion, the beauty of things that endure by changing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pine frame is built in the manner of a Japanese Zen garden wall — with a small roof covering the tops of the walls and a surround that evokes the viewing area from which a traditional garden is contemplated. You are not simply looking at the piece; you are positioned before it, as a visitor to a garden, invited to be still. Inside this frame, the puriri pieces are arranged on a painted hardboard ground. From the centre, light appears to radiate outward — a ray of time and presence, illuminating the weathered forms around it, as though the moment itself is glowing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTransience is not loss. It is the nature of all living things — the tide that shapes the shore, the light that moves across the day, the wood that gives itself to time and emerges more beautiful for it. To stand before this piece is to be invited into a moment of genuine contemplation: of what passes, what endures, and what it means to be fully here now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eTransience\u003c\/em\u003e (2021)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Puriri (Northland beach, 50+ years weathered), painted hardboard, pine frame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInspiration: Japanese Zen garden tradition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 600 × 400 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisplay: Wall-hung\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52905699082400,"sku":null,"price":2200.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/Photoroom_20251010_161652.jpg?v=1760066909"},{"product_id":"mandala-2022","title":"\"Mandala\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMandala\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind ambient wall work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a piece of rare material and rare feeling. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe centre holds two types of glass, stacked and glowing: Helensite glass — made from silicate created by fusing volcanic dust and rock ash from the 1980 eruption of Mt St Helens in Washington State — and opal glass. The colours chosen for the surrounding painted surface, gold and turquoise, are carefully matched to the colours of the glass, so that the glowing centre blends seamlessly into the painted field around it. The effect is at once brilliant and subtle — the glass catches the light intensely, yet dissolves into the composition as though it has always been there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe LED light is tucked behind the outer frame, directed inward, pooling at the centre. The four-layered kauri frame — reclaimed from an old Auckland villa once owned by the artist — encloses the composition like the rings of a mandala, drawing the eye inward with a sense of focus. You cannot look away. The glowing glass at the centre holds your attention — magical, positive, uplifting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA mandala, in its traditional sense, is a sacred diagram of the cosmos — a map of wholeness, used across cultures as an object of meditation and a symbol of unity. This piece carries that intention. It speaks to the idea that we are each part of something vast and whole — and that to look inward, with full attention, is to find that wholeness already present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eMandala\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Recycled NZ kauri (Auckland villa, 4 layers), Helensite glass (Mt St Helens volcanic ash), opal glass, paint, LED light, oil, wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 450 mm diameter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLighting: Integrated LED — plug-in, tucked beneath outer frame, directed inward\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52905828090016,"sku":null,"price":2100.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/IMG_1119.jpg?v=1760067350"},{"product_id":"facets-of-unity-iii-2022","title":"\"Facets of Unity III\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFacets of Unity III\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind ambient wall work by New Zealand artist John Allen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe central diamond of poplar sits over a cloud-like painted surface — soft, open, atmospheric. The LED light source tucked under the outer frame directs its glow from the edges and pools in the centre, giving the poplar a weightless quality. The result is a piece that seems to hover — peaceful, effortless, and still.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title, \u003cem\u003eFacets of Unity, \u003c\/em\u003edrawn from a book of the same name, speaks to an idea that runs through all of John’s work: that we are each a facet of the enormous diamond of life. Unique, individual, distinct in our angle and our light. And yet utterly part of the whole — not alone, not separate, but alive precisely by virtue of our oneness with life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kauri is reclaimed from an old Auckland villa once owned by the artist — timber that has already lived one life and now lives another. The poplar is from a fallen tree in Parnell. Copper staples talk of transience, their warm tone adding a quiet luminosity of their own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eFacets of Unity III\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Recycled NZ kauri (Auckland villa), poplar, plywood, copper staples, paint, LED light, aluminium backing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 680 mm diameter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLighting: Integrated LED — plug-in, outer rim directed inward\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52905829761184,"sku":null,"price":2100.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/IMG_1114.jpg?v=1760067751"},{"product_id":"circle-of-friends-2016","title":"\"Circle of Friends\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCircle of Friends (2016)\u003c\/em\u003e is a monumental wall work by New Zealand artist John Allen. At 1200 mm in diameter, it commands a wall with powerful presence, and would be at home in a corporate boardroom, a significant public space, or a large private interior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a bay on the Northland coast, the artist found a rough piece of driftwood with an interesting shape and, on working with it, realised with astonishment that it was black maire — one of New Zealand’s rarest and most precious native timbers. Black maire is extraordinarily dense and hard, with a lustre that is unlike any other New Zealand wood. To find it as driftwood, shaped by the sea, was a rare gift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than work the timber as a single form, John cut it into thick pieces, which were then cut in half — and then the mirrored pairs assembled into a circle. It is not a perfect circle. The irregularity of the cut pieces means each contributes to the character of the whole. The interior of irregular pieces are painted. A copper inner rim runs around the interior — a unifying line of warm metal that gives the circle its coherence. Aluminium elements behind each join provide structural strength, invisible but essential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title, \u003cem\u003eCircle of Friends\u003c\/em\u003e, speaks to the way the piece is made: many different pieces, each distinct, held together by a common bond. It is a work about community, about individuality within unity — a resonant theme for any organisation that values people, collaboration, and connection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCircle of Friends\u003c\/em\u003e is an original artwork of rare material — an important piece for a significant space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eCircle of Friends\u003c\/em\u003e (2016)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Black maire driftwood (Northland), copper inner rim, aluminium, paint, oil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter: 1200 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 22kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisplay: Wall-hung\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52930703130784,"sku":null,"price":5500.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/IMG_4641_jpeg.jpg?v=1760656072"},{"product_id":"essence-24-2026","title":"\"Essence 24\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEssence 24 (2025)\u003c\/em\u003e is a larger-scale, one-of-a-kind sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a powerful and exceptional piece that brings together two very different natural materials in a single, commanding composition. Handcrafted from a pōhutukawa root salvaged from a fallen tree in Northland, the sculpture rises from an extraordinary base of polished South Island rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rock base is truly exceptional. Hard, dense, and full of character, its surface reveals tiny natural facets — evidence of the immense forces that formed it — yet it has been polished to a smooth, lustrous finish that invites the touch. The contrast between the raw, organic movement of the pōhutukawa root above and the refined, mineral stillness of the rock below creates a dialogue between the living and the geological, the dynamic and the enduring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA small pebble, carefully placed beneath the base, provides the precise point of balance — a quiet, considered detail that speaks to the artist’s attention to detail in every element of the work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEssence 24\u003c\/em\u003e offers a lasting alternative to the fleeting — an original artwork made from reclaimed New Zealand native wood and stone that symbolises endurance, support, and deep-rooted connection. Entirely unique, this handcrafted sculpture is a personal and enduring expression of love, and an exceptional gift for someone truly special.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eEssence 24\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa roots (Northland), polished South Island rock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax (wood); polished (rock)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 400 mm | Width: 220 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52993880031392,"sku":null,"price":950.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/SunnyG-John-0545.jpg?v=1785389916"},{"product_id":"essence-26-2026","title":"\"Essence 26\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEssence 26 (2026)\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a piece that reaches across continents and millennia to bring together the ancient and the natural in a single, extraordinary composition. Handcrafted from a pōhutukawa root salvaged from a fallen tree at Langs Beach, Northland, the sculpture rises from a South Island river stone base upon which a spiral has been engraved by hand and highlighted with gold paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spiral is no arbitrary mark. It is inspired by the ancient spirals carved into the megalithic stones at Newgrange, Ireland — a passage tomb built around 3200 BCE, older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Those spirals, carved by Neolithic hands more than five thousand years ago, are among the oldest known examples of human artistic expression. Here, that ancient symbol finds new life in New Zealand stone — its engraved channel filled with gold, catching the light and giving the mark a quiet luminosity that honours both its origin and its new home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe river stone itself is a beautiful object — smoothed by water over countless years, its surface now carries both the memory of the river and the intention of the artist. Together with the organic strength and striking movement in the grain of the pōhutukawa root above, finished with natural oil and wax, the composition speaks of time, continuity, and the enduring human impulse to mark, to make, and to connect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEssence 26\u003c\/em\u003e is an original artwork of rare depth and resonance — a profoundly considered gift for someone truly special.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eEssence 26\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa root (Langs Beach, Northland), South Island river stone with gold-filled engraved spiral\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax (wood); engraved and gold-filled (stone)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 360 mm | Width: 180 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58562067202208,"sku":null,"price":850.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/IMG_1337.jpg?v=1785397563"},{"product_id":"life-force-5-2026","title":"\"Life Force 5\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife Force 5\u003c\/em\u003e (2026) is a sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a piece of breathtaking movement and feeling. A pōhutukawa root from a fallen tree in Northland rests in a natural groove in a piece of Greek limestone, as though it has always belonged there. Together complete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eLife Force\u003c\/em\u003e works speak to the unseen energy that animates all living things — the deep pulse that unites the visible and invisible, the personal and the universal. It is both what gives form and what moves through it. When a sculpture carries life force well, it creates a subtle but powerful exchange: of presence, aliveness, form and flow as one, simplicity and inner calm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes \u003cem\u003eLife Force 5\u003c\/em\u003e so remarkable is its invitation to observe. The branches loop and reach in multiple directions — not chaotically, but with the fluid ease of nature alive. In standing before it and taking a moment, you become aware of your own feeling: the way sensation moves, the way aliveness stirs. It does not depict feeling — it \u003cem\u003eevokes\u003c\/em\u003e it. The terracotta limestone grounds the piece, holding in stillness, ancient and unhurried, the perfect counterpoint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinished with natural oil and wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eLife Force 5\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa root (Northland), limestone (Greece)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 660 mm | Width: 500 mm | Depth: 300 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58734042087584,"sku":null,"price":1700.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/SunnyG-John-0260.jpg?v=1787030178"},{"product_id":"life-force-6-2026","title":"\"Life Force 6\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife Force 6\u003c\/em\u003e (2026) is a sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a piece of remarkable harmony. Multiple arms of pōhutukawa root from a fallen tree in Northland radiate outward from a shared centre, their curves echoing and answering one another spontaneously. The base is a piece of Greek limestone bearing the ancient Newgrange spiral — one of humanity's oldest symbols of life, renewal, and continuity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eLife Force\u003c\/em\u003e works speak to the unseen energy that animates all living things — the deep pulse that unites the visible and invisible, the personal and the universal. It is both what gives form and what moves through it. When a sculpture carries life force well, it creates a subtle but powerful exchange: of presence, aliveness, form and flow as one, simplicity and inner calm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat defines \u003cem\u003eLife Force 6\u003c\/em\u003e is its harmony. No single arm dominates — each one moves in its own way, yet all are in conversation, curving in similar ways — echoing each other, in harmony. The Newgrange spiral beneath them deepens that resonance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinished with natural oil and wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eLife Force 6\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa root (Northland), limestone (Greece) with Newgrange spiral\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax, gold paint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 650 mm | Width: 700 mm | Depth: 350 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58734047166624,"sku":null,"price":1900.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/SunnyG-John-0416.jpg?v=1787030821"},{"product_id":"life-force-7-2026","title":"\"Life Force 7\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife Force 7\u003c\/em\u003e (2026) is a sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen. A pōhutukawa root from a fallen tree in Northland rises from a polished South Island river stone, its curves stacked and contained — vertical, composed, and quietly powerful. Carved into the stone is the ancient triple spiral from Newgrange, one of humanity's oldest symbols of mind, body, spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eLife Force\u003c\/em\u003e works speak to the unseen energy that animates all living things — the deep pulse that unites the visible and invisible, the personal and the universal. It is both what gives form and what moves through it. When a sculpture carries life force well, it creates a subtle but powerful exchange: of presence, aliveness, form and flow as one, simplicity and inner calm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat distinguishes \u003cem\u003eLife Force 7\u003c\/em\u003e is its verticality. Where other pieces in the series spread and reach outward, this one gathers itself upward — curves compressed into a single rising column, as though drawing energy inward rather than releasing it. There is something in this that speaks to the inner life: the way depth accumulates quietly, the way stillness can be its own kind of power. The polished stone grounds it all — ancient, unhurried — the spirals carved into its face a reminder of our human depth and journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinished with natural oil and wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eLife Force 7\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa root (Northland), river stone (South Island)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStone carving: Newgrange triple spiral (mind, body, spirit)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 980 mm | Width: 260 mm | Depth: 200 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58734055030944,"sku":null,"price":1700.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/SunnyG-John-0186_b8371aa8-f048-4a8e-b57d-469a5fc1459e.jpg?v=1787031786"},{"product_id":"life-force-8-2026","title":"\"Life Force 8\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife Force 8\u003c\/em\u003e (2026) is a sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen. A dramatically compressed and winding pōhutukawa root from a fallen tree in Northland sleuths around a stone from an Auckland volcano. The stone sets up the composition with its brooding presence: its unyielding strength, dark colour, and overhang. And the root enthusiastically embraces all that, springing forward full of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eLife Force\u003c\/em\u003e works speak to the unseen energy that animates all living things — the deep pulse that unites the visible and invisible, the personal and the universal. It is both what gives form and what moves through it. When a sculpture carries life force well, it creates a subtle but powerful exchange: of presence, aliveness, form and flow as one, simplicity and inner calm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFearlessness is the powerful feeling of \u003cem\u003eLife Force 8\u003c\/em\u003e. Not the fearlessness of aggression or force, but of something at ease with what it meets — the root moving around the stone without hesitation. It simply goes where it goes. It simply expresses sovereign being, being truly itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinished with natural oil and wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eLife Force 8\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa root (Northland), volcanic stone (Auckland)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 460 mm | Width: 650 mm | Depth: 500 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58734056833184,"sku":null,"price":1700.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/SunnyG-John-0452.jpg?v=1787032288"},{"product_id":"life-force-9-2026","title":"\"Life Force 9\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife Force 9\u003c\/em\u003e (2026) is a sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen. A pōhutukawa root from a fallen tree in Northland rises from a carved volcanic rock from Auckland. The rock has been shaped to receive the wood — carved to hold and embrace the root, reversing the natural order in which roots grow around and are shaped by stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eLife Force\u003c\/em\u003e works speak to the unseen energy that animates all living things — the deep pulse that unites the visible and invisible, the personal and the universal. It is both what gives form and what moves through it. When a sculpture carries life force well, it creates a subtle but powerful exchange: of presence, aliveness, form and flow as one, simplicity and inner calm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat \u003cem\u003eLife Force 9\u003c\/em\u003e evokes, above all, is fire. The roots move the way flames move — upward, branching, each one finding its own path while remaining part of the same rising energy. The rock at the base has yielded to the wood, shaped by it, opened to receive it — as though even stone cannot resist what is truly alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinished with natural oil and wax.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003eLife Force 9\u003c\/em\u003e (2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist: John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterials: Pōhutukawa root (Northland), carved volcanic rock (Auckland)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinish: Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 1270 mm | Width: 460 mm | Depth: 400 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCare: Indoor display recommended\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58734059847840,"sku":null,"price":1900.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/SunnyG-John-0071.jpg?v=1787032640"},{"product_id":"curious-2026","title":"\"Curious\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurious\u003c\/strong\u003e is an original 2026 sculpture by New Zealand artist John Allen, made from pōhutukawa roots reclaimed from fallen trees in the Auckland region.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCurious\u003c\/em\u003e is a one-of-a-kind sculptural piece that captures the unmistakable spirit of a dog: alert, inquisitive, happy and poised for whatever mischief comes next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe natural grain, contours and character of the pōhutukawa roots remain central to the finished work. An oil-and-wax finish enriches the timber’s colour and grain while preserving its distinctly organic presence. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee at the \"Curious\" exhibition at Little Rosie, 76 Gladstone Road, Parnell, Auckland, from 29 September to 13 October 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eArtwork details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reclaimed pōhutukawa root from fallen Auckland-region trees\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 500 height × 570 × 170 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original, one-of-a-kind sculpture, second in the Dog series\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58939810283680,"sku":"JA-CURIOUS-2026","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/Curious-0071copy.jpg?v=1789877437"},{"product_id":"daydream-2026","title":"\"Daydream\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDaydream\u003c\/strong\u003e is an original 2026 sculpture by New Zealand artist John Allen, made from pōhutukawa roots reclaimed from fallen trees in the Auckland region.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuietly expressive, and huggable cute, \u003cem\u003eDaydream\u003c\/em\u003e invites the heart to warm and the mind to wander, bringing a gentle sense of contentment and stillness into its surroundings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pōhutukawa roots’ natural grain, contours and character remain at the heart of the work. An oil-and-wax finish deepens the timber’s colour and texture while preserving its distinctly organic presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee at the \"Curious\" exhibition at Little Rosie, 76 Gladstone Road, Parnell, Auckland, from 29 September to 13 October 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eArtwork details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reclaimed pōhutukawa root from fallen Auckland-region trees\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 450 height × 400 × 200 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original, one-of-a-kind sculpture, first in the Dog series\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58939815035040,"sku":"JA-DAYDREAM-2026","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/Curious-0089.jpg?v=1789878142"},{"product_id":"serene-2026","title":"\"Pootle\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePootle\u003c\/strong\u003e is an original sculpture by New Zealand artist John Allen, made from pōhutukawa roots reclaimed from fallen trees in the Auckland region.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts name is a nod to Pooh Bear - the resemblance is in their posture. Like Pooh, \u003cem\u003ePootle\u003c\/em\u003e is round, soft and unhurried, resting, in his own gentle way, easily content and never in a rush to be anywhere but where he already is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pōhutukawa roots' natural grain, contours and character remain central to the finished work. An oil-and-wax finish enriches the timber's colour and grain while preserving its distinctly organic presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee at the \"Curious\" exhibition at Little Rosie, 76 Gladstone Road, Parnell, Auckland, from 29 September to 13 October 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eArtwork details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reclaimed pōhutukawa root from fallen Auckland-region trees\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 190 height × 190 × 80 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original, one-of-a-kind sculpture, fourth in the Dog series\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58939879588000,"sku":null,"price":850.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/Photoroom_20260925_184839.jpg?v=1790389174"},{"product_id":"nipper-2026","title":"\"Nipper\" 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNipper\u003c\/strong\u003e is an original sculpture by New Zealand artist John Allen, made from pōhutukawa roots reclaimed from fallen trees in the Auckland region.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmall, springy and full of mischief, \u003cem\u003eNipper\u003c\/em\u003e catches that flash of puppy energy: ears pricked, weight forward, tail alert, always a half-second from darting off after something only it can see.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pōhutukawa roots' natural grain, contours and character remain central to the finished work. An oil-and-wax finish enriches the timber's colour and grain while preserving its distinctly organic presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee at the \"Curious\" exhibition at Little Rosie, 76 Gladstone Road, Parnell, Auckland, from 29 September to 13 October 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eArtwork details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e John Allen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reclaimed pōhutukawa root from fallen Auckland-region trees\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Oil and wax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 180 height × 200 × 90 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original, one-of-a-kind sculpture, third in the Dog series\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58939921989792,"sku":null,"price":850.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/files\/Photoroom_20260925_174830.jpg?v=1790389219"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/8172\/0224\/collections\/Rosie_Gallery_Curious_Poster_v2.jpg?v=1790388791","url":"https:\/\/www.johnallensculptor.com\/collections\/little-rosie-exhibition.oembed","provider":"JOHN ALLEN SCULPTOR","version":"1.0","type":"link"}