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Breath of Kilauea
$ 50–$ 1,500This is one of my favorite pieces. My husband and I had gone up to the summit of Kilauea several years ago to watch Halau o ke Kuhi perform at the caldera’s edge. It was a very odd day. The lava fields had steam rising from every crack and fold, billowing in clouds around us. It was as if the volcano itself was breathing. Little did we know it, but that was the beginning of this latest eruption at the caldera. A few days later part of the fire pit collapsed and a huge tower of steam shot up. This young dancer in her beautiful traditional pa’u skirt caught my eye. The mist and steam had beaded on her skin and she almost glowed.
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Tropical Morning
$ 50–$ 1,500This is the 4th image in my series of Tropical Ladies. Just north, outside Hilo, along the Hamakua heritage Coast, is one of my favorite places on the island. Follow the scenic detour signs and it will take you on a journey through a magnificent, tropical jungle with waterfalls and steams and the beautiful, Onomea Bay. Its green embrace is a balm to the soul and that is where I see my lovely lady sitting in her tropical paradise.
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Kumupa’a
$ 50–$ 1,500The word “kumupa’a” means “To be built on a strong foundation of the past”. The Moku O Keawe Festival and Competition is the only international competition requiring performances in both Kahiko (ancient) and Auana (modern) styles. Great attention is paid, not only to beauty, skill and grace, but to language and interpretation. It is a strong foundation upon which the culture of hula will continue to grow.
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The Threshold
$ 40One of my daughter’s friends from school arrived at my house on the morning of her 12th birthday. She was a favorite model for both me and my mother. Beautiful Serena was dressed in her best mumu and wore a splendid “lei po’o” in the “haku” style.
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Tropical Reflections
$ 50–$ 1,500The first in a series of images known as "Contemporary Hawaiian," depicting beautiful local women in exotic tropical settings, "Tropical Reflections" captures the grace and peace of Hilo, an area known for it's rare and abundant palms and many streams and waterfalls.
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Tropical Morning
This is the 4th image in my series of Tropical Ladies. Just north, outside Hilo, along the Hamakua heritage Coast, is one of my favorite places on the island. Follow the scenic detour signs and it will take you on a journey through a magnificent, tropical jungle with waterfalls and steams and the beautiful, Onomea Bay. Its green embrace is a balm to the soul and that is where I see my lovely lady sitting in her tropical paradise.
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Hula Sisters
$ 50–$ 1,500The image, “Hula Sisters”, depicts three of Kumu Hula Nani Lim Yap’s dancers each facing a different compass point, doing an oli aloha, welcoming their hula “sisters” from all over the world to the Big Island, where the Hula was born.
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Bowl of Light
$ 40The birth of a child, anywhere in the world, is a special thing. Each child brings a bright spot of light which, if nurtured and developed, can become a burning torch of wisdom and passion. To symbolize this, on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai, children are given a wooden calabash containing kukui nut oil and a wick. It is their bowl of light.
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Ipu Heke
$ 50–$ 1,500The echo of a welcome chant, or "oil aloha," seems to hang in the air around the young dancer who poses with an ipu heke, or gourd drum, used to make the intricate beats used in kahiko, or ancient hula. She carries a fan of woven lauhala.
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Kahuna kahu o ka malamalama
$ 50–$ 1,500In the summer of 1989 I was asked to do a piece of artwork commemorating the 200th anniversary of Pu'ukohala, one of the most sacred heiaus (temples) of the Hawaiian people. I live less than 10 miles from the site and felt honored to be asked to do such an important image. It was at the event that I first met Hale Makua--a spiritual leader and mentor to many of the men of the Na Koa. He had kind eyes and was easy to talk to and we quickly developed a friendship. I was snapping photographs all morning when I turned and saw him sitting calmly under a tree, beautifully backlit by the rays of the morning sun. As I prepared to take the picture,...
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Moku O Keawe
$ 50–$ 1,500This was the second image in the series of paintings that I did for the Moku O Keawe Festival. The monies from these posters were donated to help perpetuate this great event. Moku O Keawe was the original name for the Big Island. It means “Land of Keawe” who was the ruling Chief of the Island at the time. In this image I was trying to capture the Big Islands essence. The three dancers represent the mountains Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualala’i. Their lau hala skirts made me think of the waves breaking on the shore or the mists curling around the mountains.
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Fern Lei
$ 36Many places in the world have sand and sun, but nowhere else will you find the Hawaiian culture. In this piece I have done my best to accurately record several dancers of Halau O Kekuhi who earn the respect of all Hawaii for preserving this unique and beautiful part of their heritage.
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In Honor of Laka
$ 50–$ 1,500A male hula dancer is caught in profile while dancing at the Merrie Monarch Festival. It is said that Laka, goddess of hula, was the first to add grace to dancing, to move to the rhythm of the ocean, or the wind of the trees. Fern was her favorite lei.
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Dance in the Sunlight
$ 50–$ 1,500This was Halau o Kekuhi performing up at the hula platform at Kilauea’s summit. I have to admit, it is a rare day that the sun shines during a performance at the hula platform!
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Tropical Shadows
$ 50–$ 1,500The second in a series of "Contemporary Hawaiian" images featuring beautiful local women in exotic settings, "Tropical Shadows" illuminates the cool lushness of the Hilo garden and the warmth of tropical sunlight as it filters through the palms and ginger plants.
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The Guardian
$ 40In 1991, the 200th anniversary of its construction was celebrated by the gathering of the first Na Koa or Hawaiian Regiment, seen in Hawaii in almost the last two centuries. Dressed in malos, dog tooth and boar tusk arm and leg guards and armed with 18 foot spears or lava stone clubs – they are the guardians of the past, keepers of an almost forgotten art of war.
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Kane
$ 50–$ 1,500Men, or kane, were the first to dance hula. When men started to dance the old kahiko style of hula again, it sparked a huge revival of interest in the Hawaiian culture. Here, two members of the halau o kekuhi dance in the sun wearing skirts of raffia.
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Cherry Blossoms
$ 50–$ 1,500This image is special. In October of 2006, the Big Island was hit by a big earthquake measuring 6.7 that lasted almost a minute. Though it was kept quiet do to tourisum, the damage was extensive. Over 60 houses were destroyed, over $200 million worth of damage. But no one was hurt.
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Pineapple Hills
$ 40*Limited Edition Offset Lithographs of original graphite drawings printed on cream archival stock. (Shipped flat) (*Limited edition of 500, plus some artist proofs)
8" h x 8.75" w
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Brittani – Strings of Fire
$ 50–$ 1,500This image was the album cover of young Brittani Paiva called, Strings on Fire. Brittani is an amazing talent on the ukulele and together we were nominated for album cover of the year for the Na Hoku Awards!
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Hula Hair
$ 50–$ 1,500"Hula Hair" captures a young dancer standing in a sunlight garden where the light illuminates her plumeria leis as part of my "Contemporary Hawaiian" series.
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Ho’omakaukau
$ 50–$ 1,500This word asks “Are you ready!” and you will hear the Kumu Hula shout it out just before a performance. The dancers then answer, “Aye” (yes) and step out. Understanding the term is more than just the words.
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Bright Hope
$ 44*Limited Edition Offset Lithographs of original graphite drawings printed on cream archival stock. (Shipped flat) (*Limited edition of 500, plus some artist proofs)
10.25" h x 7" w
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Basket of Aloha
$ 50–$ 1,500"Basket of Aloha" represents the warm hospitality and generosity of the people of Hawaii. Many of us here are blessed with the overflowing abundance of fruits and flowers in our yards. It is common to find an anonymous box of papayas, a rusty coffee can full of brilliant orchids, or a ripening bunch of bananas from your neighbor left on your doorstep. It is one of the joys of island living.
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Daughter of the Land
$ 50–$ 1,500Our beloved Nohea Amaral Kahiliwai, daughter, wife, mother and dancer, passed away suddenly from cancer. We have eaten many times up at her beautiful home in Koloko, surrounded by the forest and listening to the bird calls. It is so high up the mountain that even my Kamuela hardened body shivers with the cold! We saw, first-hand, her dedication to her husband, little son, mother-in-law. Her ready smile lightened every ones heart.
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Kukui Dreams
$ 44*Limited Edition Offset Lithographs of original graphite drawings printed on cream archival stock. (Shipped flat) (*Limited edition of 500, plus some artist proofs)
11" h x 7" w
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Hula Halau
$ 50–$ 1,500In "Hula Halau," meaning house of dance, members of Halau O Kekuhi, under the guidance of kumu hulas (teachers) Nalani and Pua Kanakaole, stand ready to dance at the Kilauea Volcano. After the death of their month, Edith Kehuhikuhipuuoneonaaliiokohala Kenao Kanakaole, the two sisters joined together to continue passing on their mother's legacy. They hold their home to be Kilauea, and claim ancestry with Pele herself.
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Pau Hula
$ 50–$ 1,500While most people who visit Hawaii experience some form of hula (some of it very good) in their evenings of Polynesian Luau shows, in reality, hula exists casually at real family and community gatherings all over the Hawaiian islands. It is also performed with intense perfection at hula competitions, such as the Merrie Monarch Festival, where planning and practice for performing two dances, one ancient and one modern, can take a year. Pau Hula represents that final moment when that year culminates to thunderous applause, as thousands of hours, exhausted muscles, bloody knees, and tired feet all come together in a perfect performance.
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Kumupa’a
$ 50–$ 1,500The word “kumupa’a” means “To be built on a strong foundation of the past”. The Moku O Keawe Festival and Competition is the only international competition requiring performances in both Kahiko (ancient) and Auana (modern) styles. Great attention is paid, not only to beauty, skill and grace, but to language and interpretation. It is a strong foundation upon which the culture of hula will continue to grow.
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Ehu
$ 50–$ 1,500In "Ehu" (red), three members of the Halau of Kehuki, wearing the color of lava that flows from Kilauea volcano, dance at the caldera's edge.
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Kahu O Makou
$ 50–$ 1,500"Kahu o makou 'o makou noa e..." ("We call upon God to inspire and free us!")
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Dog Dance
$ 46This was a spine chilling dance where the warriors depicted dogs of war. They are wearing boar tusk wristlets that were used in war to protect their wrists and dog tooth shin guards. The dog tooth guards have also been used a musical instruments in kahiko hula. This took place at Puukohola.
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Chant in the Forest
$ 50The image "Chant in the Forest" is from a performance held in 1988 at Volcano National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. The unusual site is the traditional hula platform built in the young grove of rare native koa trees near the caldera's edge. Depicted are two of Hawaii's living treasures, Nalani and Pua Kanaka'ole.
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Twin Falls
$ 50–$ 1,500This is the 3rd image in my Tropical Ladies series. If you are wondering where those falls are they are part of the river that runs through the Akaka Falls Park. I loved the mossy rocks and dappled light. I don’t actually make the ladies go with me to these areas but take photos of details that I want to include in the paintings. It might take six or seven different photographs to make up one painting.
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Chant in the Forest
$ 64Auntie Pua Kanaka’ole Kanahele told me once, “We are a part of the elements, the environment.” To me this image of her and her sister, Nalani Kanaka’ole depicts that essence. These two daughters of Edith Kanaka’ole and Kumu Hula of Halau o Kekuhi are committed to perpetuating the Hawaiian culture. This is one of my favorite drawings as I feel that it resonates with how I feel about hula.
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Pa’ana A Ka La
$ 36
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A Ka Luna O Kilauea
$ 50–$ 1,500This image was done at the same time as “Breath of Kilauea”. At the Fire Pit’s edge the heat must have been intense. If you look closely you will see the birds riding the hot air currents as if they were at an amusement park! Against the dark sky the colors of her ancient pa’u skirt and the steam from the vents were startling.
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Mana
$ 30One of my favorite stories is how the image “Mana” came about. I was doing a photo shoot with the Lim family, as I was illustrating a book about Hawaiian hula movements. Nani is the Kumu, but for some reason she had to leave the beach and run back up to the car for something. Lorna and I were talking and I said that while we had been doing some pretty straightforward thing like woman, ocean, palm tree and bay… how would one translate something without form… for example the word “mana”, which mean more or less, “Heavenly Power”?
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Ka Hula
$ 50If your image of the hula is that of graceful hips and cellophane skirts, you are missing what is the best of Hawaii. To me it is the Kane, the men of the Hula that make it amazing. Their power and strength, speed and perfection that keep people coming back, year after year, to the Merrie Monarch.
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Crater’s Edge
$ 50–$ 1,500Kilauea, at the Fire Pit, home of the Godess Pele, is where I first experienced “kahiko” or ancient hula. In 1983 I witnessed an array of descriptive chants accompanied by hula, recounting the stories of centuries of Pele’s history and linage. Afterwards the “kumu hula”, the Kanakaole sisters, stood at the caldera’s edge, smoke and mist tangling their hair, looking at home in this awesome place, as if they were part of the landscape that is Kilauea. It was this experience that lead me to start painting the Hawaiian culture.
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Nisei III
$ 34The Japanese term “Nisei” means “second generation” and refers to the children of people who have immigrated. It gets harder and harder for each generation to keep to the traditions of their parents or grandparents. But foundational cultural teaching is very important to every individual, and it is stronger and deeper than people realize. The beauty of this little girl in her very perfect kimono and traditional hair piece shows how well it suits not just her image, but her being.
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Red Ti
$ 50–$ 1,500Another in my Contemporary Hawaiian series, I find myself drawn to the beauty of the red ti leaves.
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Ho’omakaukau
$ 150This word asks “Are you ready!” and you will hear the Kumu Hula shout it out just before a performance. The dancers then answer, “Aye” (yes) and step out. Understanding the term is more than just the words.
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The Guardian
$ 50At the foot of the Kohala mountains, on the shores of Kawaihai, stands the “Temple of the Lonely One”, Pu’ukohola. This huge stone edifice stands today as a monument to the might and power of King Kamehameha the First.
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Nisei IV
$ 34Here though, one of our local children remembers the roots of her families heritage in a performance at Lilliokalani Park in Hilo. She had to dress as one of the young male dancers as they didn’t have any boys willing to dance!
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Protea
$ 50–$ 1,500The image "Protea", captures the softness of these exotic flowers that grow in profusion in the cool up-country weather of Kamuela, the place I've called home for over 30 years.
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Kukui Lei
$ 50–$ 1,500While up at the Volcano’s National Park during one of the hula performances on the authentic hula platform we found this captivating child wearing a head lei of Kukui leaves. It was noon and the sun beat straight down, highlighting the lei till it shown like a crown.
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Protea II
$ 50–$ 1,500This was painted as a companion piece of Protea I. I love the subtle colors of the flowers. It’s hard to believe that each of these very different blossoms are of the same flora family. I think the orange ones look like fireworks.
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Pau
$ 44While most people who visit Hawaii experience some form of hula (some of it very good)in their evenings of Polynesian Luau shows, in reality, hula exists casually at real family and community gatherings all over the Hawaiian islands. It is also performed with intense perfection at hula competitions, such as the Merrie Monarch Festival...
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Clifford
$ 50–$ 1,500Clifford Neaole, a humble spirit and gracious host, has fostered global understanding, awareness and respect for the Hawaiian culture through his work as the Cultural Advisor for the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.