Josh Olley

Known primarily for his stunning work carved from stone, Joshua Olley creates works expressing his ethical and environmental values. Born in New Plymouth in 1972, he moved to Wanaka in 1995 and taught himself to carve, gradually working up to large scale stone sculpture. 

His passion for larger stone sculpture developed naturally as his ability in carving evolved. Olley particularly favours argillite stone for its hard and durable quality, and for its tactility and ability to hold a fine edge and detail. 

Joshua Olley was an Arts Gold Award finalist in 2015 and 2017, and exhibited in Sculpture on the Shore in Devonport in 2014 & 2018 and Sculpture on the Peninsula in 2015 and 2017. His work is held in collections here and overseas, including Te Papa and the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and has been exhibited at private and public galleries throughout New Zealand.