New show at East Hawaii Cultural Center in Hilo

November 3-28, 2012 Monday - Saturday 10am till 4pm

"Sacred ‘Io, Eyes of God"
Original Watercolor

I am pleased to have my latest watercolor painting chosen for the EHCC exhibition, by the distinguished juror, Momi Cazimero.  She served as curator and juror for the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts, Honolulu Academy of Arts and other institutions in Hawaii.  She received the "Living Treasure Award" in 2005.  I enjoyed her informative juror's talk about the selection process, looking at the meaning of the piece, good design, originality, technical excellence, presentation, relevance to our culture and time in history, etc.  Since her standards are very high, I felt it was a great honor to have my 'Io selected for the show.  The HSFCA (Hawaii State Foundation for Culture and Arts also makes selections from the Fall Arts Festival so I felt good about having my piece exhibited there.

Everyone who knows me well, knows about my love and respect for the native Hawaiian Hawk, the "Io.  I have written about the hawk, and have seen many wondrous and memorable sitings of the 'Io near my house, around Kona and Holualoa.  It was a joy to work on this painting, it felt very inspired.  The eyes are more human, than animal, and hence the title evolved.  We also have many lehua blossoms from the 'ohi'a trees around my home.  It is said if you pick a lehua blossom it will start raining, and sure enough while observing one, it would start raining.  I believe this is one of my best watercolor paintings yet, the colors are pleasing and more muted.  Many more grays were used to enhance the warm red colors of the native blossoms.  I am also ready to begin a watercolor painting of the Pueo, the native Hawaiian Owl, which I have also seen in Holualoa.  They are drawn as a diptych at the artist Kathy Long's suggestion.

Aloha, Diane

The Hawaii Watercolor Society 2012 Open Exhibition

50th Anniversary Show
September 23rd - October 20th
Honolulu Museum of Art School - Main Gallery at Linekona

Miraculous Day
Original Watercolor
30 x 22, framed

Welcome back to my blog!  The juror Robert O'brien has selected two of my paintings for the show in Honolulu and they are now on exhibition!

A friend recommended that I look at, photograph, and paint these lovely azaleas.  They were amazing because of the white azalea and magenta flowers blooming on the same bush!  Sometimes the unexpected is created so stunningly in Nature.  Seeing a red and white rose on one bush also has many spiritual references, as I had been reading about and my friend happened to mention.  Then after I painted the azaleas that were selected another friend pointed out red and pink miniature roses on a bush!  

I had a huge challenge with the blue background, but I love how it turned out and accentuates the delicate white azalea.  

Dancer's Dream
Original Watercolor
20 x 16, framed

Recently I had decided to take on another challenge, that of depicting figures in Hawaiian scenes in my work.  I saw these hula dancers in the King Kamehameha Day parade on Al'ii Drive in Kona, Hawaii and decided they were perfect to paint.  Their grace, rhythm, youthfulness comes alive in the painting.  Movement was created with the skirts and hair blowing in the breeze and the waves in the background.  The dramatic blue sky contrasts with the yellow and white attire.

I am also gearing up for another juried exhibition in Hilo, at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, this fall.  I plan to take paintings of a beautiful ocean scene, a pau rider and an I'o, the Hawaiian hawk.  More on that later! 

Aloha,

Diane

New Show:

Best of the West
"All Big Island Artists Show Night"
Reception:  
Friday, May 25th, 2012   
6-9:30 pm
Wyland Kona Ocean Front Gallery

Many friends and people attended the warm reception night last year, making it lots of fun.  Mahalo to Mark Hanna, the owner, for inviting me back this year.  Please join us.

This photo showcases my paintings from last year's show at the gallery.

"Glowing Red Jade"

This painting "Glowing Red Jade" is in the Spring Hawaii Watercolor Society Show, the juror is Don Andrews.  It is showing at the Arts at Marks in Honolulu, April 5 - 28th.  Because of the rich red glazes, and flowing nature, it is one of my favorite paintings, and I love the deep, dark frame which enhances it all the more. 

Here's what Don Andrews wrote about it:  "The artist's eye is continually drawn to the abstract in nature.  A balance of active and inactive shapes make for a vibrant image."

The proud owner of the original "Darwin" came to my studio and then invited me to visit her lovely Asian influenced home in Kona, where "Darwin" now lives.  It was wonderful to meet someone so completely enamored with the painting.

Here is Rhonda Kavanagh with "Darwin."


I am working on finishing the children's book, an ocean scene, a Pau rider, a floral, and a native Hawaiian bird . . .

Aloha, Diane