Kay's new works are called 'mahe', wich is Maori for 'anchor stone' or 'sinker'. Kay first saw them in a museum years ago and they inspired her to make these little 'mahe'. Kay consulted with Shelly Anderson who showed her the method used to make piu piu (traditional Maori flax skirt) - sections of the flax are stripped back to muka (fibre) and the remaining pieces curl into a hard tube as they dry.

The 'mahe' are made from clay.

'Mahe' are Maori 'anchor stones'. Each one is formed by hand, shaped to resemble the stones used by early Maori settlers to anchor their fishingl ines. The twine is made from boiled and stripped native flax fibre.

The Maori made sinkers from stone - click here for a photo of an early Maori stone sinker.