Lava at Fox's Landing

Everett called and said he'd heard that the lava flow over the coast at Fox's Landing is now the most spectacular it's been in 20 years. So we decided to hike out yesterday afternoon with some of Nikko's ashes to deposit into the flowing lava as he had requested. Tuko and Craig, Neil and Chuck joined us in the late afternoon for the two and a half mile hike out to what used to be the beach out beyond Kalapana. Fox's landing was always a deliriously beautiful oasis in the miles of rugged coastline, but now it is a steaming mass of black lava with burnt palm trees and hau thicket laying over it. The slopes behind the beach are lushly forested in palm trees, but they have been singed at the bases by brush fires.

The active lava flows were out beyond where we could easily or safely get to, so we decided not to risk our necks to place the ashes there. Instead we returned in the twilight to where the Hawaiian families have planted hundreds of tiny palm trees in the black rock and sand on the new beach at Kaimu. There we had a group hug after Everett gently placed ashes under several lucky palm keiki.

The Keli'iho'omalu family was hosting a huge luau for a couple of high school graduates, one of which is an amazingly handsome young man named Ikaika, whom I've watched growing up from when he was a kid in my studio art classes, the son of our Hawaiian language teacher Lei Ilae. So we heaped plates with raw crab, poke, opihi, squid luau, lomi salmon, kalua pig, and other delicacies, and joined the merry party which was the biggest gathering of people I've ever seen other than perhaps our Punahou High School reunion luaus. Those Kalapana families really know how to party.

Nikko Marott, 1948-2010

Auwe, our dear friend Nikko passed away on Wednesday, July 28. He had been in Hilo Medical Center for three weeks, which was a difficult time for him and those of us watching over him, made tolerable only by the very kindhearted nursing staff at the hospital. Prostate cancer is usually fairly minor, but because N had had cancer previously, it was more aggressive in his body. Nikko could be a grouchy curmudgeon on occasion but this was just a small aspect of a truly radiant and beautiful soul. He reached out in friendship to the Hawaiian community and in his last days was rewarded by many visitors chanting, blessing, dancing, and singing to him as he lay in his room at HMC.

Nikko's father Jim, his brother and sister-in-law Jerry and Debby, came from California to be with him along with his close friends Everett Charters and Pamela Pierron. The room was filled with love and tender caring.

Nikko's last philanthropic gesture was to create his "1000 Cranes Project" to benefit the Hospice of Hilo. Most of the strands of origami birds, stamped with tapa motifs and folded by Nikko and friends, have been spoken for. But some will still be available at the gallery, with a suggested donation of $30 to the Hospice. They are really beautiful, and a touching reminder of Nikko and real evidence of his handwork.

We held a pa'ina (party) for Nikko at David Ellis' house in the front of Puna Palisades, on Saturday July 31. Puna Keli'iho'omalu and Kawika provided wonderful Hawaiian music. Kids from the Kukulu Kumuhana program and Uncle Robert Keli'ihoomalu's extended family presented some dances and then frolicked in the pool, and kumu Frank Kawaikapu Hewitt did a beautiful blessing over our potluck feast. Later we scattered some ashes down at the point overlooking Kehena Beach, in the soft twilight, as Willy Cole chanted in praise of our home on Ka Moku o Keawe, the Big Island.

Mau ke aloha ia 'oe, beloved friend and brother!

The Nature of Things

Our group show "The Nature of Things" is coming down in a few days. It has been a really lovely display far exceeding my expectations. I'm proud to be showing with Patti Pease Johnson, Don Albrecht, Patti Datlof and Marian Fieldman, all very creative individuals plus very nice people. It's sad that we can't just leave it up for a few more months!!

Diamond Head Revisited

Every year the shower trees at Kapi'olani Park, in front of Diamond Head Crater on O'ahu, burst into an amazing display of pink and yellow blossoms. I've been lucky enough to be staying on the island on several occasions and have done numerous paintings of the subject. At my 40th Punahou Reunion, I showed a big 3' x 7' version on linen canvas which I sold to one of my classmates, Bonnie Murphie, to hang in her new condo right across the street from all the flowering trees. Just for fun, and as a reference for another classmate who might order a new painting, here is a group of paintings that I did about ten years ago.

Crane Invasion and other stories

My dear friend Nikko Marott started folding cranes a couple of months ago, as a form of loving-kindness meditation. With each origami piece he sent out a prayer for all beings to be at peace and be free from pain. I love origami myself and of course I love color and design. So I got the idea of surprising Nikko with a pile of big origami papers that were printed with my Hawaiian Kapa linoleum blocks. This turned out to be enormously fun, since as the paper folds against itself numerous new and unexpected design combinations emerge, much like a kaleidoscope. Each bird became a one-person, one-time-only art experience, unpredictable, and never to be repeated.

Soon the house was filled with cranes, and Nikko made me laugh by making up stories about the crane invasion and lining them up in different arrangements. This project turned into a 1000 Crane installation at the Wailoa Art Center this month, as a part of the group show I'm in called "The Nature of Things," available to view until July 28.

Nikko is now in Hilo Medical Center with badly metastasized cancer, and he may or may not survive much longer. The wonderful thing is that he had, in his typical way, an idea to help other people by making the cranes a fundraiser for the Hospice of Hilo. Each strand of cranes is available for purchase and represents a donation to this very worthy organization. When the Wailoa show comes down, the cranes will be available at the gallery.

July will be an exciting month for art here in our corner of the Big Island. The gallery will open on Friday July 2 in the evening, to honor our new artists. The next friday I'll be at the Wailoa Center helping to host the opening of our group show organized by Patti Pease Johnson, with a group of five local artists showing art inspired by nature. And down at Kalani Honua Retreat Center, a vibrant art festival is being organized by Richard Koob and our own Tuko Fujisaki, to celebrate the many artforms and artists working in the Puna District.

Four New Painters at the Gallery!

We welcome our new painters Deborah Beaver, Sonya Stanchfield, David Hubbard, and Leslie Sears! I'll post more about each one but for now here's a little sample of the fresh styles to be seen at the gallery. As always, each artist takes a shift at the gallery so when you wander in you're sure to encounter some creative energy.

Emily Herb joins our gallery

The wonderful pottery of Emily Herb has been added to our gallery. She lends her vision of native birds to make beautiful and functional art. Please come take a look in person!