Carving Art Out of Life
There is a gem hidden in the Clarence Valley.
Kane VanChaos has been a local of the area for 31 years. He has a reclusive side to him but he is no stranger to the arts.
He started at a young age as a musician with a band triple j unearthed and he was also signed on to Warner Brothers. Kane has been honing his craft in traditional stick and poke tattooing for more than twenty years.
What makes Kane's art stand out is his life experiences. They imbue his art with his signature “VanChaos” charm.
Post pandemic and unable to take to the stage, Kane is now working from his home studio on the banks of the mighty Clarence River in the cane fields, miles away from anyone or anything. This is actually where Kane draws inspiration from - absence, solidarity, and the simple natural life around him.
Kane’s works are earthy, mysterious, authentic. And wonderfully chaotic. Just a man with his dogs and a boat.
Currently Kane’s business KVC Creations services the east coast of Australia and his works are now in demand in America, Scotland and Canada.
Kane's World in a Ring
Kane has a series of canvases on forbidden symbology and the occult. It is a theme that he extends through his sculptured works.
His most recent obsession is “world rings'' - these are individually carved from a selection of possibly 100-year-old hardwood from the fields abandoned long ago. These pieces of blue gum wood are treasures of nature and rich with history.
First, Kane sets them in a giant resin block. He then wet and dry sands and polishes to finish.
Each beautifully handcrafted piece cannot be replicated. That is how incredibly precious and unique they are. Each one shows a landscape that is created by chance (or simply, the beautiful mystical laws of nature). Kane gently and skillfully coaxes them out and makes each landscape visible to the outside world.
These pieces are far from static. If you look closely, each one is alive with the raw materials from which they are formed. You will never tire of looking deeply at them because you discover new things each time you look. Each ring takes days to complete.
All of Kane's works that are listed on this page are available to purchase. They are one of a kind handcrafted.
Materials are provided by The Greenhouse Collective Maclean and supporting local businesses is in itself a beautiful art.
Working with Nature - an Extreme Sport
The studio is now an island, basically.
The workshop is flooded but thankfully it is still functional in waivers at low tide. All roads are closed which means deliveries have become what Kane calls ¨a bit of an extreme sport¨. In true blue Kane philosophy, he sees this as a challenge. After all, he has been working with Nature all these years. The floods have become part of how he continues to work with his art. There is order even in chaos.
Kane held an online auction to raise funds for flood-affected locally owned businesses that have supported his craft since opening. It is not about being in the same boat - everyone is in the same flood and it is about helping each other to paddle their way through it.
The brew crew at the Brew Box in Port Macquarie have been highly supportive and Kane is grateful for these moments of humanity.
Making the Sun Shine Again
KVC Creations has an online auction and a lucky dip where all proceeds less costs of materials are being donated to locally affected stockists and venues who have supported the arts.
Kane may have his solitary side when he is creating his art but he is very much connected to his community and all of human life. He is dedicating his online auction to relief for outdoor venues that have been affected by the floods and which have suffered damage. This is especially for industries such as hospitality, and musicians and artists on the Mid North Coast. A percentage of proceeds will go to the local venues who have supported KVC Creations.
Nature is cyclical and it is in giving back that we grow again. Kane is putting in his bit to keep everyone doing. He hopes people will join the online auction and give generously. Kane knows ¨the sun will shine again.¨
As part of the online auction, Kane is offering a ring that is a magical brew of a single delicate dragonfly wing, soft green moss from the Clarence River, pieces of autumn leaves, and air bubble set in crystalline resin on ya old hardwood, blue gum.
Taking the Next Step
Kane has had retail interest in most major townships from Port Macquarie to Yamba.
Kane would like to stock in locally owned community heart businesses exclusively in each major township. He is focused on building up towards the official launch in conjunction with exhibition work. Kane will be busy creating and meeting exclusive stockist demands while continuing to cater to his online customers and custom orders. Custom work has been picking up and now makes up just over half of the KVC Creations business.
Unique Creations for Life
Kane caters to custom orders from $80 with free local delivery (conditions apply). So if you have a personal inspiration, Kane is your man to make this a reality.
Keepsake jewellery has a very special place in people's hearts. Kane creates death rings specifically for human remains. It is a way to celebrate life on its next stage. As is the cyclical way Nature works, he also makes birth rings containing the birth flowers of children as they come into season.
How to order KVC handcrafted jewellery?
KVC Creations are all handcrafted so no two jewellery pieces are alike. To order, refer to their Facebook page where they show off their jewellery pieces and comment or message them.
Phone: 0423 639 570
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