Daniel Holland

Featured Artist

About Daniel

Born and raised in New Zealand, Daniel Holland is a South Canterbury-based chainsaw sculptor living in the Geraldine and Peel Forest area. Holland discovered chainsaw carving in 2022 while searching for a unique Christmas gift idea for his wife. Drawing on previous experience carving knife handles and working with small-scale materials, he taught himself the craft through online tutorials and quickly developed a distinctive sculptural practice. Working primarily with locally sourced timber, including macrocarpa and other salvaged woods, Holland transforms logs, stumps and reclaimed trees into expressive sculptures inspired by New Zealand wildlife, mythology and the natural environment. His work ranges from intimate commissioned pieces and animal portraits to large-scale public sculptures.

Holland’s sculptures can be found throughout South Canterbury. In 2026 he completed Greenman, a monumental carving created from a large tree stump on the Geraldine Sculpture Trail. Standing approximately 2.3 metres high, it marked his first public work larger than himself and established him as a significant emerging presence in the region’s public art landscape.

Influenced by both the forests of New Zealand and time spent living in Montana, United States, Holland is particularly drawn to wildlife subjects, carving everything from bears and kea to larger mythological and environmental forms. He is passionate about giving new life to trees that would otherwise be discarded, creating enduring artworks that celebrate the character and history of the timber itself.

Today, alongside building his family home in Peel Forest and raising his young family, Holland continues to create commissioned works and public sculptures, contributing to the growing artistic identity of the South Canterbury region.

Gerry, the Old Man of Raukapuka

Chainsaw carved tree stump

Created in February 2026 by Geraldine artist Daniel Holland, Gerry, the Old Man of Raukapuka transforms a remnant tree stump into a contemporary interpretation of the Green Man — a figure deeply rooted in mythology and folklore. Traditionally depicted as a face formed from or surrounded by leaves and branches, the Green Man has long symbolised renewal, regeneration, and humanity’s connection with nature. Holland’s carving responds directly to the material itself, allowing the natural grain and form of the timber to shape the sculpture’s expression and presence. Situated within Raukapuka, Gerry serves as both a playful landmark and a quiet reminder of the enduring relationship between people and the environment.