Heat Rising

On Friday we had a life drawing session at Richard's house at Kalani. I teased our model Joti that his pictures would be all over the internet, and his response was that any publicity is good publicity. Since he is a multitalented singer, dancer and artist, I guess this makes sense. On our way home Tuko and I had to stop and photograph the steam plume from the volcano's entry into the ocean, which has been seeming extra huge lately.

Painting at Green Mountain

I wish I could say I had a brilliantly successful day painting with friends up on Green Mountain, overlooking Kapoho. But Tuko and I arrived quite late and the sun was beating down on the plateau with no shade in sight, and no wind to speak of, and I just withered in the humidity while trying to paint the challenging vista. Plus the picturesque storm that I included in my sketch, that was so beautifully poised over the ocean, came straight in towards us and soaked us down thoroughly. I had been painting on a thin masonite panel which bent over from the moisture. So by noon I was very ready for our ride back down the hill, courtesy of Smiley, the beautiful caretaker of the Green Lake and Green Mountain. The best part was going up and down that road, under the graceful kukui and breadfruit trees, through the patches of awapuhi ginger.

A Workshop with Dick Nelson

Tuko and I attended a workshop at the East Hawai'i Cultural Center given by a teacher who I knew way back in high school. Mr Nelson was the advisor for the stage design club, of which I was the student president. Even though for some reason I never took art classes at Punahou, he still made a huge impression on me. He was cute and funny and full of wise suggestions. Although now both of us are pushing forty years older he hasn't changed all that much....

His Big Thing is color theory, specifically the notion that all colors can be derived from three pigment primaries, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow, and that numerous magical effects can be obtained from the knowledgeable manipulation of colors. We did a few of the many color exercises that are handed down from the master classes of Joseph Albers, with whom Dick studied at Yale University. Using small colored papers we tried to obtain the illusions of light, transparency, shade and tint. Not as easy as it would seem.

I'm looking forward to applying these lessons to my own painting to achieve heightened effects of glowing illumination and mystery.

Anne's Show

This month the gallery is showcasing the watercolors and acrylic experiments left by Anne Whitmore, plus some of the artworks in private collections that were brought in as a special treat. We had a lovely opening for her on First Friday, September 5. Anne couldn't be there in her body but some folks say they could feel her smiling. It was a very sweet and poignant evening of Anne's friends enjoying her beautiful paintings and each other.