In the spring of 2009, Binkley received an email from a gentleman who wanted him to carve three Moai sculptures for the house he was building in Whistler, BC, Canada. The patron and Binkley exchanged numerous emails, and a collaborative relationship was established. After many discussions and sketches, Binkley agreed to carve them six feet tall and from locally quarried Hardy Island grey granite.
Each Moai head was to be unique, but they had to retain the iconic features of the originals. And they had to be finished in time for the Vancouver Winter Olympics Games in February, 2010.
Binkley ordered the three granite blocks from the local quarry and had flat bottoms and the bridge of their noses cut to save on carving time. Then he began carving outside the studio door until such time as the sculptures were light enough to move them inside and onto the turntable.
Binkley used the fretting method for the bulk removal, then shaved the granite with diamond blades. He had to experiment a lot with different blades before finding the right matrix for this particular type of granite - another reminder that not all granites are created equal, and not every diamond blade will cut a particular type of granite. Binkley finished the sculptures using four-point T&H bushing chisels.
The third sculpture was completed at the end of October, but mitigating circumstances forced a delay in delivery until early December. It was a clear, sunny afternoon as three, two-ton granite Moai heads strapped to a flatdeck truck attracted some curious glances traveling the highway from Vancouver to Whistler, on the Sea to Sky Highway.
Originally the patron wanted the three heads to be placed in the forested landscape, but with so much snow in those areas when the installation took place, the patron decided to install the three sculptures in a row in front of the house.
During the 2010 Olympics, the sculptures were the center of attention for photo opportunities with many visitors from around the world. This unexpected and overwhelming response from so many people helped determine that the sculptures would stay where they were placed.
Binkley visited the house again in February 2011 and the patron’s house has become known as “the House with the Heads” amongst the locals.