In Mary's Garden

I call it Mary's garden but of course it has been created equally by her husband John. Both of them are wonderfully gracious hosts to vagabond artists, and I have spent many happy and productive hours drawing and painting in this paradise. Best of all, Nu'uanu stream runs through it providing a refreshing pond and a pounding waterfall back massage. Paul took lots of pictures while I sketched.

Cedar Street Opening

I flew to Honolulu with my friend Paul to attend a group show opening at the Cedar Street Gallery, not far from Ala Moana. Although its location is perhaps even more obscure than that of the Arthur Johnsen Gallery, the owners Mike and Sheri Shnack do a great job of attracting and representing many of the islands' best artists. So much so that in fact I often have to hunt for my pieces among the great number of pieces they show. So it was gratifying to have a fair share of the wall space taken up by my three Big Island contributions!

Sheri put out a wonderful spread of yummy food, and it was fun to meet the other artists in attendance, and also Kate who is the beautiful young gallery specialist (aka "gallery goddess.")

Tags ~ art, oil painting, art gallery, oahu, plein air, hawaii

Camping on Kaua'i

My photos of Na Pali and Kaua'i are mostly pretty bad, but I am posting some of them anyway. The last image is of Richard waiting for our ride (the wonderful Delton) at the windy beach of Polihale. Our friend Paul Squassoni, who didn't quite make it out to Kalalau on this trip, is a much better photographer.... he took lots of photos up at the lookout while Richard and I did our pencil sketches.

Tags ~ art, oil painting, kauai, camping hawaii, plein air, hawaii

A Kaua'i Sketchbook

Last Wednesday I kayaked into Kalalau Beach with Richard Koob, of Kalani Oceanside Retreat. We spent much of our time sketching the splendors of this remote paradise, including pools along the Kalalau stream which are reached by hiking through amazing relics of Hawaiian civilization. Goats clamber like headlice in the immense rock formations brooding over the huge white beach. In the caves beneath the cliffs, the strong afternoon wind whips green fresh-water ponds into mysterious whirlpools. Later we sketched some unusual liko lehua (the budding leaf forms of the Ohia tree) up at the lookout in Kokee, perched high above the valley. Finally I sketched RK as he plucked tiny shells off the beach at Anini on the north shore of the island, not far from Princeville.

Tags ~ art, oil painting, art gallery, kauai, sketching, hawaii