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ABOUT THE ARTISTFrancis Pimmel is an award-winning artist, specializing in scale reconstructions of canoes that once sailed on the waterways of the Polynesian Triangle. The work of Francis Pimmel is of the highest quality, with attention to historical accuracy, and of the finest construction and finish. |
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| 2007 |
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KAHALA RESORT AND HOTEL PROJECTFrancis Pimmel was commissioned to build 5 canoe models for the Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu, each 32" in length. For this project, Pimmel aimed to reproduce ancient style lashings that are rare on old canoe models, and even more so on contemporary Hawaiian canoes. The very fine and intricate lashing of the gunnels to the hull, and those holding both parts of a manu together are what make those models unique and worth studying. Pimmel was particularly pleased with the 32" Hawaiian racing canoe carved out of very curly Koa and red tarp imitation using Cardinal wood. The sail is a custom design by the artist, and the double blocks crown this extremely sporty looking canoe. |
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ON THE SEAWAYS TO MELANESIA AND MICRONESIA2007 was also the Melanesian phase for Francis Pimmel, who is a great admirer of canoes of the Solomon Islands - in particular the war canoes from San Cristoval. As a collector of old canoe models, Pimmel was frustrated at the scarcity of old Solomon Islands canoe models. The rare nature of such canoes led Pimmel to make his own, the first of which, with its Nguzu nguzu and prow finial, can be seen here. The canoe is inlaid on both sides with mother of pearl and paua shell. The design is representative of an old Solomon Island legend. Another recent addition to Pimmel's range of Oceanic canoes is the Samoan Paopao canoe, decorated with shell inlays. |
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| 2005-2006 |
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EUROPEAN TRAVELS AND MARQUESAN CANOESFrancis Pimmel travels Europe to conduct research into ship and canoe models, and artifacts of Oceania at renowned marine and ethnography museums. Key stops on this trip were the National Maritime Museum in London Greenwich and the PittRivers Museum in Oxford. The collection of artifacts from Papua New-Guinea at the Horniman Museum in South London proved a great source of research material as well as The Musee de la Marine in Paris with its early models of Hawaiian double hull canoes. The Musee d'Ethnographie in Neuchatel provided an exciting opportunity to study the Marquesan canoe models illustrated in Hadden & Hornell's book "Canoes of Oceania". On his return Francis completed his first double hulled Marquesan islands canoe model, which is decorated at the stern of both hulls with sculptures typical to those islands. Illustrations of such Marquesan carvings are extremely rare to come by. The sculptures on this model are exact replicas of original carvings on exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum. It is said that the lines of the Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokulea are derived from that of the double hulled Marquesan canoe. |
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| 2004 |
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PELELEU WAR CANOEFrancis Pimmel completed a 4 foot model of King Kamehameha I war canoe. It is the only type of Hawaiian canoe that was equipped with western type sprit sails and rigging, as well as with a bronze swivel cannon. This historically accurate model has found its home in Beverly Hills, California. It is said that those swivel canons had a bad reputation and were prone to either explode or fire innacuratly and that the English were more than happy to trade those canons with King Kamehameha against sandal wood which was than sold in China against silk and other rare items in high demand in Europe. |
2003 | |
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1st PLACEAwarded 1st Place in Open category at Hawaii State sponsored and juried wood show. Pimmel's winning work was a 24" model of the Hokulea. Click here to view a similar size model of the voyaging canoe. |
2002 | |
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A CHALLENGING YEARCompletion of the model "Yapluka 60," a 3 foot long scratch built replica of the 60 foot long French built modern catamaran. The model features a 5 foot high head and mainsail, and a fully featured cockpit, saloon & galley as well as the full regalia of fittings. The "Yapluka 60" can be viewed at www.yapluka.fr. The model was introduced to the Yapluka shipyard who complimented Francis Pimmel for the exactitude of the work. The patron for this model was a member of the Hearst Family in Los Angeles. Click here to view an image of the model Yapluka 60. It is important to note that modern cruising and sailing catamaran and trimaran vessels are the direct descendants of the highly evolved Polynesian double hull canoe. Visit Flickr for photos of the step by step construction of this model. |
2001 | |
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MODERN MASTERS AND TEA TIMEHome and Garden TV (HGTV) feature Francis Pimmel and his work on their nationwide show "Modern Masters" on November 4, 2001. Details on HGTV.com.
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2000 | |
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NO Y2K IN MODEL CANOESFrancis Pimmel is commissioned to build a replica of the Hawaiian Fishing Canoe for the Haleakala National Park Pavilion.
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1999 | |
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SAILING IN STYLE ...A 3 foot long scale model of the Voyaging canoe Hokule'a built by Francis Pimmel sails aboard the English luxury liner QE II from Honolulu to Southampton, England. |
1997 | |
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... AND FREE OF POLITICSA scale model canoe built by Francis Pimmel was selected to be presented to the President of China, Jiang Zemin, during his stopover in Honolulu before leaving to the US continent to meet with President Cliinton. |
1996 | |
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A SMALL ENTRY ...Awarded 1st Place in Open category at Hawaii State sponsored and juried wood show. The winning exhibit was a 12" scale model of a Hawaiian voyaging canoe made from more than 145 components. |
