Hui Welcomes Lauren C. Faulkner as 2013 Hui No’eau Annual Juried Exhibition Juror

Lauren Faulkner

Next Friday, December 28 marks the receiving day for the 2013 Hui No’eau Annual Juried Exhibition - easily the most competitive showing of the Hui’s 8 annual exhibition opportunities, which are free and open to the public year-round. Generously sponsored by Jack & Carolyn Schafer Gray, Robert & Fran Davidson and Doug & Jill Schatz, this prestigious mufti-media arts competition offers an opportunity to view the current work of Hui members as well as participate in topics upon which contemporary minds are engaged.

By presenting new work in the Hui’s public gallery space, artists are offered the opportunity to share insights about their processes and inspire students. They help both beginning and established collectors develop sound collecting strategies that reflect their personal interests, evolving aesthetic sensibilities, and create means of integrating new work into their existing environments. Nationally renowned guest jurors represent respected curators and artists from Maui, Hawai‘i and beyond, offering a different perspective for a unique and fresh show every year.

This year the Hui is proud to welcome Lauren C. Faulkner, Owner / Art Consultant at the Fine Art Associates on Oahu to its distinguished roster of Hui No’eau Annual Juried Exhibition jurors. Raised on Oahu, Faulkner earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from the University of Hawai’i in 1986. She worked briefly with design consultants Linn Sol Interiors before quickly learning that her passion lied in working “directly and entirely with art” and began a career with The Fine Art Associates. 30 years later she is the owner and principal consultant, working with a broad range of clients to place artwork in their homes, businesses, hotels and more- working directly with both emerging and established artists from studio visit to conception of new work to placement. Her education, experience, relationships and keen eye for the unique make her a fresh and exciting new face to Hui No’eau – one that both our artists and collectors will gain from tremendously.

Hui: What draws you to this line of work?

Faulkner: It makes me feel good. I love it. I have a passion for it. I wake up every day and get excited about it. The idea of getting to create something new every day with and for my clients and having these great tools – the huge team of artists and consultants that I get to work with – is just terrific.

Hui: What developments have you noticed in the arts market, specifically in terms of your clientele, over the years?

Faulkner: It has been incredibly interesting to see developers and hotel owners becoming so much more open to new ideas over the years. A few years ago I had a client that specifically asked me not to show them anything “abstract.” So of course, I slowly worked it into my presentations, offering details about the process, the artist, the inspiration, until they inevitably changed their preference and wanted to see everything abstract. By educating people and explaining that their emotional responses are valid - that they don’t have to be specifically educated in art and art philosophy to have an opinion about the work to feel safe with it – they begin to become a part of the story. They begin to open up to these new ideas that Hawai‘i’s great wealth of artists are telling.

Hui: How does your work benefit the larger community?

Faulkner: I do this work for our island’s children. When I grew up here, I had ceramics, printmaking and painting in school. Public schools no longer have art as a core element of their curriculum. It’s important to me to see art getting out into public places so that children can be exposed to the wide range of benefits available to them simply by experiencing it as a viewer. I also advance this work as a volunteer with the Art in Public Places program through the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture & the Arts.

Hui: My understanding is that you meet a client first, get a thorough understanding of their wants and needs, and then customize a collection to meet those needs. The challenge of creating a collection by and for the public at a community arts center is somewhat different, how will you approach your jurying task next week? What are your goals?

Faulkner: I’m not coming in with any preconceived notions about what this exhibition should look like; I really can’t prepare myself for something like this. I want to remain open until I see the body of work and then I will like to see a cohesive show. I will look for work that is beautifully crafted and tells an unusual story – work that is unique in some way and that fits the space well. There really aren’t enough good venues for artists to show their work on Maui. It seems like the history and standing of the Hui afford it a great opportunity for risk-taking and for highlighting new artists and ideas. There are so many truly talented, skillful artists in Hawaii right now. This a great opportunity to educate our communities about where our arts movement is and where it’s headed.

Hui No‘eau is also honored to once again welcome the Acquisition Award Selection Committee of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (HSFCA) for a formal exhibition visit. Part of the State’s Art in Public Places Program, which serves to strengthen the State Foundation’s capability to "stimulate, guide and promote culture and the arts, history and the humanities" through the field of the visual arts, the Committee makes recommendations to the HSFCA regarding the purchase of works of art. Selected artwork is rotated throughout Hawai‘i state buildings to ensure the widest possible audiences have access to view these works thereby preserving works of art expressive of the character of the Hawaiian Islands. Paired with Faulkner's experience and inter-island client relationships, these opportunities ensure a broad reach for all exhibiting artists.

The 2013 Hui No’eau Annual Juried Exhibition is free and open to the public January 5th through February 18th, from 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is free.

Links:

• Artist Feedback: 2012 Annual Juried Exhibition 
• Meet the Juror: A Conversation with 2012 Juror Allyn Bromley
• Hui Announces Acquisition Award Selection Committee Visit by the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for '12 Annual Juried Exhibition
• Hui No‘eau Annual Juried Exhibition: Raising the Bar for Maui Arts

Painting by Julie Houck