Big, beautiful, colorful holiday gift ideas from me to you

Perhaps this is the year you want to give something big and long-lasting to your special someone. I have an idea! How about a piece of fine art?

An oil painting that you like, for example, can be more affordable than you think and retains its value over time. It can brighten a home or office interior and bring cheer to the environment.

Most local artists and even art galleries are willing to negotiate retail prices and work with customers to allow them to purchase on layaway — in installments. Don’t be afraid to talk to the artist, ask questions, and perhaps move that item from your wish list to the reality of your collection!

Considering it’s holiday time, and everyone is marketing their wares, here’s some shameless “hard sell” on my part. I invite you to view my virtual gallery of paintings once again at http://rebekahstudio.wordpress.com/paintings/ and hope you’ll consider making a purchase or tell a friend. There are also a few in my retrospective collection that I could be persuaded to part with.

“Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli”

Hawaiian places — places you have been or places where you’d rather be — are my favorite subject. Each painting is a one-of-a-kind original (sorry, I haven’t made any reproductions) and comes with a frame ready to hang.

Welcome Spring – 2010

Thank you so very much for your consideration! Happy holidays!

“Kuilima Cove”

Looking Down Upon the Path – 2008

The energy of collaboration

So, dear reader, the new energy I’m talking about has to do with the comings and goings of new friends and old friends at the studio—my healing space, my brick-and-mortar studio, and a unique gallery space.

In February I held a Reiki Level I training class in the Unlimited Reiki System of Natural Healing with Reiki Master Teacher Lori A. Wong, who attuned and certified three students. The island country setting is well suited for meditation. We plan to continue with Level II and Master Level training. What a day. Wow. When we channel Reiki, or universal life force energy, we heal, harmonize, and balance our minds, bodies, spirits and emotions! It was great!

I also started teaching adults how to oil paint, after the method my own teachers Vicky Kula and Gloria Foss taught me, and everyone is enjoying it. My students, just three ladies for now, attend class once a week for most of the day. (Although I promoted both offerings widely, three seems to be the magic number from the Universe. )

Studio painters

With the combined lecture/demo, hands-on painting assignment, homework and critique each time—starting with the basics and then having each lesson build upon the previous learned knowledge—they understand there is a lot to learning to paint.

I, myself, am enjoying the refresher from developing lesson plans and doing the assignments. I don’t have all the answers, but the students are very clever and are full of new ideas. We laugh a lot, and I learn from them too. A bonus: They bring food and recipes for lunch, and, believe me, they can cook!

I’m happy to share what I know how to do. It’s surprising that it has taken so long for me to have enough confidence to do this. I think I just wanted to be sure I could do it well.

Pi‘ikea and Vicky relax in front of “Morning Destination: Kalaeokaoio Beach” — Photo by Rebekah Luke

Yesterday’s open house event of a renovated Kailua home that is on the market was a chance to see 15 of my paintings displayed in a residential setting.

The students came and brought lots of good energy to the property. It is a different experience to see an original oil painting up close and properly framed and hanging rather than to see a reproduction.

The colors are true. One can view paint strokes and textures. It is easier to imagine what the art piece will look like in your own home or office.

Other fans of Rebekah’s Studio came to support the collaborative project efforts of Realtor Associates Ruth Sinclair and Karyn Shaunnessy who invited me to be their guest artist.

Me and members of my fan club at the special showing, left to right: Noella, Rochelle, me, Pat, Karen, and Pi‘ikea. The lei po‘o (the beautiful yellow floral wreath of native and tropical flowers on my head) is a gift from Vicky, and the sweet white ginger lei is from Nani (who came earlier and left before the photo op). — Photo by Karyn Shaunnessy

Collaborators (from left) Ruth Sinclair, Rebekah Luke, and Karyn Shaunnessy. — Photo by James H. Kim On Chong-Gossard

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

New mural is a big deal

Miss Marvelous and I experience the new "Hawaiʻi Loa Kū Like Kākou" mural created this month by Native Hawaiian artists at the Hawaii Convention Center. This photo shows only a small section of the painting with the tip of an 'auamo (stick used on one's shoulders to carry things) that represents the concept of balance for the world. The entire ʻauamo image including the opposite end extends the width of the mural. The artwork will be officially presented to the public today, October 19, 5:30 - 7 p.m., street-level entrance. For a related article, please see my October 8 post. — Photo by Peter Krape

Disney imagineers run with Native Hawaiian art and culture

Congratulations to the “imagineers” of Aulani, the new Disney resort and spa in Leeward Oahu, for its Hawaiian theme, for doing the proper research, and for making art by Native Hawaiians so prominent in their design for this project. I took a ride out there today with my girlfriends, and we were impressed and grateful for what we saw. First off, we’re greeted by a lo‘i kalo (taro garden).

There was an obvious collaboration among local artists that has resulted in the largest showcase of contemporary Native Hawaiian art. This accomplishment is huge. From BIG architectural elements to the smallest details in interior decoration, we were pleasantly surprised at the thought and creativity incorporated into the design. Kudos, also, of course, to the artists!

I won’t tell you everything, and I’m not posting a lot of photos. I would rather you experience this venue yourself. Disney has managed to marry a family theme park with serious art and tasteful design. School’s out this week, and many Island families are “stay-cationing.” They’re really enjoying themselves. And it looks like Aulani becomes more magical at night with the Disney lighting effects.

Our Native Hawaiian artist friend Harinani Orme designed this architectural panel and two others of different images for the exterior. This is what I mean by BIG!

The ocean is right there, but there is so much to do within the hotel complex that you don’t notice it. It’s not the main attraction. Instead, guests can play with a sting ray, snorkel in a man-made reef pool, float around on a big inner tube, or frolic on the top of a man-made waterfall. I heard there’s a Menehune Adventure Trail that’s pretty cool to explore. Neat regular swimming pools, too.

There weren't too many people on the beach or in the ocean, but it was a pretty view.

When we got hungry for lunch we selected the ‘AMA‘AMA restaurant for its table service. We were aware the daily newspaper did not give the eateries at the Aulani a very good review last week. The food critic thought the menu was unimaginative and the food so-so. But I lucked out. I ordered the “plate lunch” that was a chef special of the day, and here’s what I got!

This "plate lunch" appeared on a tray like a Japanese kaiseki meal. Fresh locally grown field greens, including slices of watermelon radish, poke (raw fish), pork tonkatsu with curry sauce, and perfectly steamed white rice. $16.

My favorite place was Aunty’s Beach House, that is essentially a child care service. Aunty’s side is for ages 3 to 5 and was classic early childhood education curricula that I’m familiar with, and very well executed.

Uncle’s side includes the “garage” for older children and provides activities, computer games, movies, etc. of interest to them. When we were there, Aunty and Uncle had just left. I could hear through a key hole something about washing the dog!

In Aunty's living room, "cast member" Kawena (in green shirt) talks story with my friends Pi‘i, Gene, and Moeata. Our tour was delightful.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

This is Waipao (part 2)

Hau cordage in the making. Hawaiians scrape to clean hau fiber by hand.

HAU KAULA (CORDAGE) WORKSHOP WITH KEN CHING

The foundation of native Hawaiian culture consists of the ability to fill three needs: containers to carry things like water and food, flaked stone for cutting, and cordage to fasten. These were necessary to build a Polynesian voyaging canoe that reached the Hawaiian Islands.

With that important bit of information, Ken Ching on Saturday showed a group of us the native Hawaiian way of making cordage from the bark of the hau tree (Hibiscus tiliaceus L.).

We gathered at Waipao, the site of Papahana Kuaola, on the banks of Haʻikū Stream on Oʻahu. The Papahana Kuaola organization is all about involving the community in environmental restoration and economic sustainability, while integrating native Hawaiian knowledge. Its activities center on cultural and natural history. It’s wonderful, pono (right), and maika‘i (good)!

Making cordage by hand is a way to learn about olden attitudes of living, said Ken. When one went for a walk, for example, it was to look for materials that were useful and could be appreciated.

Here is my photo record of the day. You can pretend you were there, or perhaps you would like to learn more about Papahana Kuaola from its website and visit there yourself.

I came away with a little feeling of what it was like to live in olden times. I thought, maybe this is how it used to be and can still be if we live with Hawaiian values, learn from our kūpuna, and be thankful and kind to each other. I was happy for the people who are restoring the ʻāina (land) of Waipao.

First are some images of this place, the ʻili (small land section) of Waipao in the ahupuaʻa (land division from the uplands to the sea) of Heʻeia, Oʻahu.

Hāʻikū Stream at Waipao

Terraces and pohaku (stones) near the stream

Loʻi kalo (taro gardens) in different growth stages. Notice more land being cleared in the distance. Lunch included a delicious stew made with foods grown at Waipao.

The band of green across the equator of the photo is the hau thicket from where we gathered the raw material.

Into the forest we went to cut hau ʻili kea (young branches with light-colored bark).

Freshly sawn hau branches waiting to be stripped of their bark

Our kumu Ken Ching demonstrates the right way and the less desirable way to pa‘e (strip) hau bark.

Peel away both the outer and inner bark by pulling down and "close to" the branch (as opposed to "away from") and from the top down, our kumu said. Discard the inner branch. (The leaves in the background are ʻawa (Piper methysticum), not hau.)

Kahi the wale (scrape the slimey goo away). Ken sets the bark on a 2 x 4 and scapes it using long strokes from top to bottom, pressing hard. Fresh water, such as from a stream or city faucet, will result in a brown fiber. To preserve the whiteness of the fiber, use salt water to soften and wash away the wale (looks like mucus).

Shell scraper to comb out the wale (slime goo) of the bark.

L to R: Improperly stripped hau bark; mid-way stage of scraping; still slimy and not white enough, i.e., there are more brown areas left to scrape out.

Back indoors and after some lunch Ken showed us how to grade the fiber and twist it into cordage.

Ken Ching with a bundle cleaned hau fiber ready for twisting into cordage.

Separating the fiber and preparing to twist into cordage. Clue: You roll the fiber between your palm and your thigh with one hand, and twist with the other. It takes some practice.

Kaʻalua na kaʻakolu: Our kumu Ken made this beautiful hau cordage. He made more like it for the double-hulled sailing canoe Hawaiʻiki. It was an honor to learn from a master.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

Remaking an oil painting

As an oil painter I’m often asked, “How long does it take to finish a painting?” In the same vein artists will remind each other, “You have to know when to stop.” We like to avoid overworking a piece.

My “Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli” demonstrates these points. First is a photo of the painting mid-way, in the field. On a clear day, there are no waterfalls in the scene, but just after a big rain when the clouds lift, there they are! To paint en plein air I headed to this place to study the scene when it was raining, time after time. I took this snapshot from the trunk of my hatchback where I’d taken shelter.

In the field, in the rain

I wanted so much to finish the painting. Below is what I published, i.e., what I thought was ready for market, a few weeks ago. Oils take a long time to dry—up to six months before they can be varnished. In the meantime I can look at a painting every day. As I kept staring at this piece (it’s staged above the TV cabinet) something bothered me. It wasn’t finished.

Not quite finished

I decided to correct the areas of the painting that were “wrong.” In a representative piece, although it is impressionistic (I label my style as “impressionistic representationalism”) I want to paint a scene so that it looks logical.

To really finish and complete this painting, I did three things:

1) I added pigment to the center clouds area to hide the waterfall behind it.

2) I widened the same center waterfall at the bottom because it is closer to the viewer (and so should appear larger).

3) In addition, by very very carefully scraping with the long edge of a palette knife, I knocked down some objectionable relief areas I originally painted of the mountain ridges at the top and touched up the clouds to make them softer and smoother looking.

“Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli” looks better now. I hope you agree!

Finished: "Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli," 16" x 20" oil on canvas

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

Native artists at the Bishop Museum

The enjoyment for today consisted of going to the Bishop Museum to show my oil paintings alongside other Native Hawaiian artists at the art mart that is part of the MAMo (Maoli Arts Month) Festival in Hawaii. It happens every May.

The Museum booked DH, who is a volunteer docent, to guide a group from a philosopher’s conference on a 1-1/2 hour tour of Hawaiian Hall, making it doubly worthwhile for the two of us.

Ten minutes before show time, we arrived to find our spot next to my artist friend Momi Greene who came from Hawaii island with her decorated ipu (native gourd containers).

Me and my friend Momi Greene. Momi grows a native Hawaiian gourd and decorates them with carving and natural dyes she makes herself in the style that was done traditionally on the island of Niihau.

Years of art fence and craft fair experience paid off as we arrived ten minutes before show time, i.e. late. I saw some dark clouds as we drove over the mountain, and yes, we set up in the rain.

The paintings were fine; oil doesn’t like water. I just shake and blot them dry. DH staked the easels into the ground, and I attached extra ties, a good thing because gusty trade winds blew down from the valley throughout the day.

My brother-in-law Jon, in town from Oregon, came by to meet Momi in person because until today they had only been Facebook friends.

DH and Jon with the Bishop Museum's main building in the background

I loved the continuous live Hawaiian entertainment all day long.

Hula dancers wear long yellow plumeria lei

DH and I made some purchases:

I bought—with cash from trading my no-longer-wanted gold and silver items—some things from other artists, including a nifty re-designed T-shirt. I always try to buy from other artists where I am selling. The designer, using scissors, cuts away parts of the original garment, slits holes in the knit, weaves in contrasting colors or ties the fabric in creative ways to make a one-of-a-kind top that is truly styling and all the rage at the Native Hawaiian art mart. I plan to post a photo of me modeling it soon!

Yesterday in a gust of wind one of Momi’s ipu broke. It looked like it could be glued, but she said she’ll stitch it back together, making the stitching part of the design and giving the ipu new life and a story. When I relayed that to DH, he immediately told Momi of our plans to take a trip to her island and that he wanted to buy the ipu after she stitched it. That piece would be really special and would she kapu (reserve) it for him, we’d pick it up next month.

She said, “Okay, do you want to see it first?” DH can be impulsive at times, but he’s a good buyer and appreciates fine Native Hawaiian-made artwork.

What I realized and appreciated the most at the end of the day was how much the art by Native Hawaiians has improved, including the marketing of it. If you are in Honolulu next May, please plan on attending some of the activities of Maoli Arts Month.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke