Daydreams of Paradise

Date: 5/28/2010

Location: Hualalai Resort

Size: 8" x 16"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artists Comments: I was commissioned to create a gift for a recent graduate who was off to college. Instead of the usual presents (jewelry, cash, etc.), my friends thought an original painting of the view from her family's Hawaii vacation home would be the perfect fit. We selected a smaller canvas so that it could conveniently fit in the small dorm room and choose a view of the golf course as golf is one of the graduates favorite activities - especially when she plays the Hualalai Course! We included the edge of the swimming pool in the painting so that the graduate could imagine herself lounging poolside enjoying the warm view during the approaching winter months and, I was sure to identify the 16th and 17th flags to encourage her passion for the sport albeit she may not have much time in the coming months!

To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.

Hale o'Honokohau

Date: 5/21/2010

Location: Honokohau Harbor

Size: 18" x 24"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: Honokohau beach is a historical gem hidden next to the bustling Honokohau harbor. A fairly large salt and pepper sand beach stretches around the bay and tucked alone is a relic of an ancient fishing village. It is truly amazing to see how simple life must have been living along these shores. Although I rarely paint man-made structures, this canoe halau attracted my focus. I make a dedicated effort to finish each new painting before starting a new one as I tend to lose inspiration once I focus on another painting. However, a few weeks had gone by before I regained my desire to wrap this painting up. What really drew me back to this piece was that I had tried a new technique and was curious how it would come out so. A friend and I both appreciated the textured finishes found in the works of Avi Kiriaty and we deduced that this texture was achieved by mixing fine sand into the paint. We were right! I mixed the sand in with my acrylic base coat and found it to provide a very rustic look. The paint didn't glide over the canvas as easily and instead was caught by the rough sand. I seemed to need to use more paint to achieve my desired coverage and blending details. As I reflect back on this new technique I am finding I really enjoy it and will continue this in future work. How neat would it be to have a painting of a beach in Hawaii that incorporates an organic element!

To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.

Ke Alaula Hula Palms

Date: 5/14/2010

Location: Ke Alaula Villa, Hualalai Resort

Size: 24" x 12"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: One of my biggest supporters contacted me to do a commissioned piece for their up coming anniversary. She selected the view from their Hawaii vacation home as the subject so they could be reminded of their tropical get-a-way when they were on the mainland. They were going to be on island to celebrate their special day which meant I needed to get to work quickly! The upper-floor view was stunning. The focus was a grouping of palm trees that reminded me of hula girls swaying elegantly under the sky. The bright blue horizon was equally stunning with just a whisper of clouds collecting over the sea. Perhaps the least attractive element were the roof tops of neighboring properties. I conveniently decided to paint the view before the homes were built and instead replaced them with lush foliage ~ the street becoming a sandy beach pathway.

To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.