The Gathering of Palms

Date: 6/01/2009

Location: Anaeho'omalu Bay

Size: 24" x 36"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: Anaeho'omalu Bay has a huge grove of these tall, old palm trees that really give you a sense that they are touching the sky. I selected a tall vertical canvas to capture the height of the palm trees leaning over a small bay just down from the main crescent beach of Anaeho'omalu Bay. It was a beautiful day with the Kohala mountains viewable in the distance and a light ocean breeze which allowed the rich ocean hues to be enjoyed. I was inspired to capture the lava rocks by laying down heavy paint with my pallet knife - a new discovery that I enjoyed very much. The paint just glides smoothly under the knife unlike paintbrush bristles that leave a scratchy finish.

Mahai'ula's Ocean Blue

Date: 5/25/2009

Location: Mahai'ula Point

Size: 30" x 40"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: One of my favorite beaches when I used to live in Kona was Mahai'ula's and oddly enough, I have not painted at this location very often. So, I set out to capture two paintings of this awesome beach. As I stood out on the point and looked back toward Mahai'ula Bay, I was immediately drawn to the iconic grouping of palm trees but, was delighted to also see the cinder cone, Pu'u Nahaha, framed the scene very well by providing a great counter balance to the palm grove. Because of the sandy ocean floor, the colors of the sea are strikingly vibrant without any rough waves or winds to disturb them. It was a challenge for me to replicate that "Mahai'ula's-blue" but by trying out a few different combinations, I figured out how to replicate it! Now if I can only remember what colors I mixed!

The Sunday Chill Zone

Date: 5/20/2009

Location: Mahai'ula Bay

Size: 30" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: After hiking into Mahai'ula Bay, I wanted to capture the lonesome beach heliotrope my sister and I have so often enjoyed our Sunday mornings relaxing in its shade. Rather than making our favorite tree the focal point of the painting I included just the edge of this shady oasis with the crescent beach extending to the distance, ending in front of a palm tree grove. I laid the darkest shadows first and was impressed that I was able to maintain them at the end of the painting. The clouds were wispy, whimsical and reaching toward the heavens providing what I felt to be a very linear element to the curvature of the beach. After an observation by a friend; I focused on trying to add more paint to my paintings to improve texture and substance. It is allot harder than I thought! But, I am hoping to gradually increase the amount of paint used in future works.

Rocky Shoreline

Date: 4/29/2009

Location: Waiulu Point

Size: 30" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: The rocky shoreline of Waiulu Point is so simple; rocks, small grouping of trees and water, yet continues to captivate me. There is something intriguing about the way the lava is visible descending into the water and meeting up with the sandy ocean bottom while a group of palm trees reaches toward the sky. On this day, the Island of Maui made a quick appearance and I quickly sketched it in before it disappeared again behind a blanket of haze.

Seaside Living

Date: 3/29/2009

Location: Kiholo

Size: 18" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: At the end of the Kiholo bay, past Queens Bath, there is a tiny bay which leads to a rocky shoreline, lush palms and the emerald green Kohala mountains beyond. The shoreline is a mix of currents which created a chaos of waves that seemed to break in every direction - sometimes even backwards! It was a challenge for me to simplify the waves but I found that letting the first layer of paint set just a little allowed me to return with a thinner layer of white paint and nimble brush to create little squiggles of waves that appear to rest on top of the water.

Vibrant Palms

Date: 3/20/2009

Location: Kaloko Ponds

Size: diptych

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: Continually, I am drawn to this same location upon arriving at Kaloko Ponds. I have painted this subject before and was very satisfied with the outcome so, decided to complete a larger piece and produce my first diptych. I designed the piece so that both pairs could be hung alone or combined to provide a full view of Hualalai Mountain. I intently kept my brushwork light and quick; preventing myself from dwelling on the details and allowing the yellow tint to reflect thru the paint. I like how the the vibrant purple I used in the mountain gives a very bright contrast to the green leaves of the palm trees.

Island Retreat

Date: 2/28/2009

Location: Kona Village

Size: 18" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: The lushness of Kona Village is remarkable! Surrounded by barren lava fields, underwater springs create a lush oasis where thatched hales are placed reminiscent of old Hawaii. The endless variety of green and yellow hues reflected in the brackish ponds captivated my interest. I had some difficulty in applying an appropriate color scheme to the hale to allow it to contain more colors than just the obvious natural tones. I referenced works of Elza Muir who is known for creating outstanding explosions of color in his Kona Village series. The study opened my awareness and helped me get over the fear of placing colors that my mind would tell me are not present but which the creative eye subliminally sees. This painting took a very long while for me to complete - perhaps my longest painting yet but, I was truly satisfied with the final outcome and despite the challenge, am looking forward to enjoying future studies of this amazing place.

Kikau Point II

Date: 2/20/2009

Location: Kikau Point, Kukio Resort

Size: 18" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: There is a private clubhouse nestled in a lush palm tree grove which enjoys the most beautiful views of Uluweuweu bay. The small pool cabana with loung chairs poised to receive a lazy pool-goer went unnoticed. This structure provided a nice focal point as the slopes of Hualalai mountain offered a captivating array of colors.

Kikau Point I

Date: 1/20/2009

Location: Kikau Point, Kukio Resort

Size: 18" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: Kikau Point is a painters delight as there is just so many subjects to paint! TodayI was drawn to the boldness of Mauna Kea and the delicate waves lapping against the sandy shoreline. Palm trees and lava rock clusters provided a nice contrast between the foreground and background. I experimented a new technique in creating the palm leaves and am not entirely satisfied with this application. The shoreline however was a great study - this technique is definitely something I would like to duplicate in future paintings.

Tropical Sunset

Date: 1/16/2009

Location: Beach 69's

Size: 48" x 36"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: For anyone who has enjoyed the sunset at Beach 69's; it is a magical moment as the beach is drenched in a blanket of golden glow; rocks glisten with each crashing wave and the shoreline driftwood hold onto the last glow of the setting sun. This piece was a turning point in my career as it represents my first large scale painting. I purchased larger brushes and enjoyed using my whole body to bring the painting alive. I discovered that by free-handing the clouds and sky without referencing my photo, I allowed my creativity to really develop. After selecting the primary colors for the sunset, I let loose and enjoyed imagining each cloud floating in the sky; creating another amazing sunset for us to enjoy.

Hawaiian Winter

Date: 12/21/2008

Location: Hualalai Resort

Size: 16" x 20"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: A friend captured a wonderful photo of the view of snow capped Mauna Kea framed by the 14th fairway of the Hualalai Golf Course reminding guests of the climate diversity offered by the Big Island. Although I typically begin my paintings outdoors, I completed this painting start to finish from this reference photo. I enjoyed capturing the snow capped mountain - it was my first attempt at using so much white! I liked how the bright yellow undertones showed thru the lighter washes I used on the mountain.