Fairfax Art League | Village Gallery

Left Honolulu on 9 May 2016 for the Washington, DC metropolitan area for a number of reasons with Art for me being highest on the list.  More cultural activities of all sorts here in a week than a decade in the islands, largely due to government involvement. Municipalities and state governments here make exceptional efforts compared to their island counterparts, the Fairfax Art League is just one example.

Rather than have a vacant development in City of Fairfax' "Old Towne," the city council made an arrangement with the building owner for artists to use empty units for exhibits and studio space until a tenant could be found. The League has occupied the ground floor of 3550 University St for the past three years. I joined the league  in June and now have four pieces on display, and will be hosting a one man show  in September.

Bishop Street (home to Hawaii's greedy and entrenched unimaginative old boy network, whose family names are synonymous with the Hawaiian Monarchy's overthrow) would never let this happen in Honolulu. As for elected government, Honolulu Hale (City Hall) is nothing more than their proxies. That is why everything from arts, and quality of life in general are impoverished. Truly sad, though because there are things that can be learned from the "mainland," but the plantation mentality is very much alive; policies and practices that don't originate in the 50th state are rarely if ever implemented.

In any case, me and mine are quite happy to have found a place where we can all thrive at last.

Hapuna Point [Coming Storm]

Family and I took a trip to Kona (The Big Island, Hawaii) day after Christmas returning on New Year's Eve.

 I lived in Kona from 1989-1998. I remember when there was only one traffic light on the Queen Ka'ahumanu highway between Kailua-Kona and the "Rock Resorts." I remember before Kaeaholi Airpot became an international airport and the only private planes where Piper Cubs, and occasional Cessna not the 20 plus Gulf Streams that now hedge the tarmac. I remember Hapuna before the Prince Resort. It is still a special place for me; my favorite beach in the whole wide world. Great bodysurfing,  snorkeling, sunbathing and scenery.

This latest trip left me thinking I should capture an image before it is irrevocably lost like so many other points in time.

Ever been on a beach, waves breaking on the sand, murmuring all around, indistinct conversations spattered with occasionally audible phrases when suddenly all is silent, even the surf seems to have paused?

Seeking to capture a similar visual experience: gather clouds, bloated cumulus at saturation point, darkening sky; imminent rain suddenly gives way to cloudless highlights. Depicting this moment has seemed to me crucial in evoking sudden change.

Hapuna Point is a departure: textile layer is limited to ocean in selected areas and the lava flows in both the foreground and background. The oil layer builds the palette accenting green, red, purple, sand and flavors of beige (bottom right closeup)

Overall, I am satisfied with the results: as always comments are appreciated. Don't be shy!

Saudade No2

She is looking at something that has sparked a memory; a passing cloud, a stranger's face; or was it dreamed?

Saudade No2 takes a non-traditional point-of-view: face looking upwards  from the bird's eye with a background that suggests sunny and warm but nondescript. Her expression is touched with regret ( a handmaiden of yearning and desire); what has she seen? Was it another passer-by, a cloud, or light reflecting from a storefront window that sparked a remembrance of choices made that led to missed opportunity.

Palette is the same as Saudade No1, but the application of color is broader. In this painting I limited the sculpting to her dress, but my usual textural is evident in the figure and background.

Going to take the next week over Christmas to ponder Saudade No3 the last in my tribute to my late teacher. Feel free to comment or better still follow my blog!

Title: Suadade No2
Media: Acrylic, Interference, Oil, Textile on Canvas
Size: 30 x 20

Saudade No 1

Having spent more than three months on the Rift mural and  Emergence maquettes which are symbolic-abstractions, I felt a need to return to figurative imagery. The Portuguese word Suadade  [which in English roughly means an unrequited yearning for the unattainable] is my starting point for three paintings which I am dedicating to my late teacher and mentor George Harris.

George Harris was a member of the Royal Water Colour Society and an apprentice of Diego Rivera. As a young man, he worked with Rivera to paint the murals in Coit Tower in San Francisco. I learned the craft of figure painting from George; sure he would appreciate them!

Saudade No 1 is a classic "studio" pose with a lighting twist. While the palette predominantly sepia  and Van Dyke brown, the spot turquoise, rose madder and Venetian yellow carefully punctuate the mood. She is reflective: memories of things foregone, things that might have been, choices not made and made, modeled in her hair. A crown of heavy thought accented with interference pigments.



Title: Suadade No 1
Media: Acrylic, Interference, Oil, Textile on Canvas
Size: 30 x 24

Emergence No 2 (Maquette)

Continuing with this new process to  give further elevation to the textile layers in the artwork with Emergence No 2 maquette.  Red is the dominant color with the sahara yellow and gold injecting themselves (as with maquette No 1). Don't work with red hues very often; not my favorite color, but I managed to get cozy with Madder Lake.

I would like to interest someone I'm commissioning a larger version of this work, someone with a pressing need to fill a void on a partially protected (from direct sunlight) atrium wall, or better still an interior  at least 14 feet high that needs an 8 foot width decorated.  The final panel Emergence  No 3 would have predominantly greens, with the appearance of the yellows and golds yet  again. the three would then stack in order red, blue, green from top to bottom.

To the right, closeups give a greater view of the textiles offset from the canvas substrate.



Emergence No 2 (maquette)
12" x 24"
acrylic, oil, interference and textile on canvas

Emergence No 1 (Maquette)

Painting Rift gave me more ideas about my textile treatments, and I am exploring them now as maquette for a sequel called Emergence. Enhancing the dimensional impact is a new preoccupation in combination with the extrusion appearance. My objective is to exemplify an organic characteristic in the art. Emergence No. 1 is still a work in progress; the palette needs adjusting, and some color applications need a selective, spot diminish. Overall I am pleased with the effect, but it does need some refinement.

Details to the right, closeups detailing the "floating" quality which is central to this new direction. Bottom, the canvas entirely. Will update this post with the finished work later this week.

Size 12 x 24
Acrylic, oil, interference, phosphorescence and textile on canvas

Orvis | Last Day

Finished painting Rift at 2:50 pm this afternoon. Thanks again to everyone that assisted with the creation, and a heartfelt thanks to the Honolulu Museum and Spalding House for a fabulous opportunity.

This experience made me realize I enjoy art on this scale: I want to do a follow up mural and have already begun sketching "Tree of Life." But finding a patron, or an organization to support this objective will be daunting even though there is no immediate shortage of unadorned (or poorly decorated) wall space here in Honolulu.

I was told by one of the docents today that there is nothing really after Orvis, in terms of a comparable event here in Hawaii.  I heard, in speaking with local "important" figures in visual art here in Hawaii, that to become successful, your accomplishments will need to be recognized elsewhere. How tragic!

But (putting pessimism aside) I am going to use Rift as a calling card, and drop them wherever I find a commercial space with a barren 24' high wall, preferably on a frequented pedestrian route. I believe I have a "winning" formula corporations will find irresistible: serious enquiries only to learn more.

As to Rift it will be removed and placed on long term loan to Pali Momi Medical Center for display in their atrium unless a buyer intervenes. Many have remarked the artwork has a soothing quality: what could be a better place than a hospital.

But for the next couple of weeks, I am going to return to finishing off "Pull Inside," the second of the three surfer paintings of which "Cut Back" is the first. Updates to follow.