Bowl Art Gallery & Turning Studio

Gavin has his home, turning studio, and bowl art gallery on Kawau Island.

Their house and gallery, called Tŷ Pren (“Wood House” in Welsh) is just that: made of wood – a combination of hardwoods, macrocarpa and plywood. Everywhere you look is wood with wooden floors, wooden ceilings, beautiful wooden tables, chairs and a massive Waterford Stanley wood-burning stove forming a centerpiece of the house. …and of course then there are the wooden bowls.

Standing on the deck, you can really appreciate the 180 degree water views and see how the house is encircled with fruit trees which merge right into the forest that dominates the landscape.

It is a fantastic place to appreciate not just where these bowls are made but also some of the inspiration behind them.

Bowl Art Gallery

There is always a good selection of bowls to admire and purchase. In addition to the bowls that are for sale, there are also some spectacular bowls that Gavin and his wife hold in their personal collection along with a hefty number being used daily in their house and kitchen. Which helps you appreciate that a lot of these bowls are not just there to look good.

In the gallery you will find the largest selection of his work compared to what is viewable on the website. You’ll be able to see and touch everything from his latest work through to a collection of seconds that are available to purchase.

Gavin is also happy to talk about his process and wooden bowl art, where the wood came from right through to how best to look after wooden bowls day to day.

The bowl gallery can be visited most days by appointment. To arrange a time that suits please call or text 021 260 7086.

How to get to the Bowl Art Gallery

If you’re not familiar with Kawau there’s more information on how to get to and from Kawau Island here: Kawau Attractions & Transport.

Turning Studio

For those of you who would love to see a little of how these beautiful bowls are made, it is also possible to have a short tour of the turning studio.

What is ebonised wood?

by Gavin Brunton | March 31, 2022 | Hand Made, Tools and Techniques | 0 Comments

The black ebonised look I have on some of my bowls is actually a very old traditional technique to darken wood. Ebonizing got its name from its traditional use: turning wood black to appear more like ebony, a rare, dense and durable, naturally insect resistant wood...

Kelton Carver’s Jig

by Gavin Brunton | October 2, 2021 | Tools and Techniques | 0 Comments

I am passionate about buying well-designed quality tools that will last a lifetime. The Carver's Jig by Kelton Industries is a perfect example of such a tool. I bought this carver's jig around five years ago and have progressively used it more and more as more of my...

What makes a good fruit bowl

by Gavin Brunton | July 14, 2021 | Hand Made, Uncategorized | 0 Comments

What sort of fruit bowl looks good? Does the type of bowl affect how long fruit lasts? Or is it just a simple question of deciding what size fruit bowl is right for me? There're lots of questions and plenty of ways you can look at it but the best one I know of is...

The perfect Made-in-New-Zealand wedding gift

by Gavin Brunton | November 19, 2020 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Looking for a wedding gift that’s a little more unique and personal? (not just another gift from a big box store) Each of my wooden bowls are handmade here in New Zealand from sustainably sourced NZ native timbers and "far from boring".Made to last (like a good...

The process of making a wooden bowl

by Gavin Brunton | June 15, 2020 | Hand Made, More, Tools and Techniques | 0 Comments

Finding the wood... I'm incredibly lucky that I live on an island covered in native trees: with the coastline dotted with Pohutukawa, hidden valleys of Puriri, and Kanuka as far as the eye can see. I find most of the wood I use after big storms have brought down...

Kawau Island Attractions & Transport

by Gavin Brunton | September 14, 2019 | Kawau Island | 0 Comments

What's special about Kawau Island? A lot of people are interested when I tell them I live on Kawau Island. Kawau is one of the many small islands that dot the east coast of the, much larger, North Island of New Zealand. We have some 90 permanent residents, which makes...

A family heirloom in the making

by Gavin Brunton | August 20, 2019 | Hand Made | 0 Comments

What will you give your kids? Hopefully, your time and your love but, like photos from your childhood, there's a place for keepsakes too. For each of us it will be a different thing: a lovely wooden chair or a casserole dish, but it’s something we will really cherish,...

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