painting and taking in local color

ok what does everyone want to see first - what i am doing, what i am seeing or what i am painting.
it is truly a tropical paradise here. check out the flowers.

$6 bunch of flowers - whole foods eat your heart out

i have been working nearly everyday doing some piece of art. not all can be done in one day so i will work a little on one and then work on another, this keeps me from overworking a painting and gives me a chance to try a few different ways with the mediums.

work in progress watercolor — hen and chicks

wip  acrylic — hawaiian woman from the Hawaiian Festival

watercolor + pastel pencil — napali coast

painting on silk — my favorite rooster

water color — sleeping giant

here are some pictures of other painters at Marionette's studio in Wiamea for the silk painting class. one of Ashley's friend's Kathy came with me and had a excellent time. tomorrow the 3 of us are going to the south shore Botanical Garden for an art show of women painters here on Kauai and Marionette is one of the exhibitors.

my completed silk

robin @ water color class

Kathy @ silk class

victoria @ watercolor class

 

other silk students

next we'll look at some 'eye candy' that is made up of this island . . . everywhere you look there is someplace beautiful to see or that i want to paint. i am driving to go to point A and along the way i need to stop at point B C D  etc. don't leave home with out it . . . . your camera that is.! every inch of this island is photogenic.

immaculate conception church

beautiful interior

okd plantation/mill houses

jesus and mary church in wiamea

cottage at the Wiamea Plantation Cottages Resort

last night, friday, i went to a 'Bon Dance' - a Japanese tradition that mimics the mexican 'day of the dead' except that this goes on for 3 months at the local Buddhist Temple (just fri and sat evenings) - it was outdoors and is held at different shrines/temples throughout the island from june until august. it is to celebrate and remember your dearly departed. there is music and drums and costumes and all go in a circle around a 2 story platform and dance the same footwork and same hand movements. there are about 13 - 15 different dances all using the same 5 dance movements. apparently they start practicing in early spring to keep sharp on the hand and footwork. it's like a festival with food and trinkets. the costumes (kimonos) were stunning, its called a Happy Time because of the 'remembering' of your loved ones. men, women, children, haoles (white), hawaiian, any and all can join in. joiners usually wear what is called a Hapi Coat (it is like the kimono only it is short to the knees and the sleeves are not as deep. time for me to make one.) or street clothes.

gathering for the Bon Dance

dancers waiting to begin - notice the three to the right have on 'Hapi Coats'

the circle begins and all follow

she was just too cute, stayed right up with her 'grandmother'

look at this woman - you could imagine yourself in japan

costumes were just too beautiful

inside of the buddhist temple