Hui Heroes

Darrell Orwig & Mary "Maizie" Sanford

Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center is pleased to present its 21st annual Art Affair benefit, “Camelot at Kaluanui: A Feast of Art & Merriment” to be held Saturday, February 23rd from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm at its historic Kaluanui home in Makawao. Proceeds directly support the Hui’s core programming, including free exhibitions, gallery talks, children’s classes, camps and field trips, the Kaluanui Experience, visiting artist workshops, residencies and open studios. 

The evening features a gourmet seated dinner by Bev Gannon’s Celebrations Catering, endless cocktails by Ocean Vodka and Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, live music by Jimmy Mack and the Kool Kats, Maui’s premier fine art auction, silent auction and an opportunity to meet a wonderful community of art enthusiasts.

The Hui recently announced Mary “Maizie” Sanford as this year’s Board of Directors Recognition Awardee and Darrell Orwig as the Hui Angel Awardee.

“This is sort of overwhelming,” remarked Orwig in response to being named as this years Angel recipient, “I am stupefied and amazed. In the 37 years that I have been here, the Hui has become such an integral part of the community. In the beginning, we were a volunteer recreational center – volunteers turned the horse stables into ceramics studios, the basement and dairy into a photography lab, everybody pitched in to make this place work. Today, the Hui is a bastion of artistic integrity in terms of the quality of what is offered and presented, accessible to all from small kids to elders. It’s a place where opportunity thrives. This is the place for Maui to find out what to do with creativity. I’m just happy to be a part of it”

When asked to share some of her most vivid memories having grown up as part of the Kaluanui home, Board of Directors Recognition Award recipient Maizie Sanford responded “It was amazing how the people of Maui and elsewhere rallied to raise the $4 million (and a lot of good will) so the Hui No'eau could own the whole property in 2005. The continuous care and maintenance of the house and grounds over the years that preserve the architectural integrity of one of the fine old historic homes on Maui (designed by Will Dickey) open to the public has been very rewarding to witness. I remember seeing Johnny Baldwin running a small tractor on the grounds in "hands on" work, grading the driveway to the parking lot. That is still an important goal for Hui No'eau:  to maintain and expand without destroying. In the early days of the Hui No'eau, my mother Frances Cameron, co-founder, enjoyed taking life drawing classes at Kaluanui to continue her education in art. This is still a very fond memory for me.”

It's local heroes like these that help boost the national conversation on the importance of supporting the arts in our communities. Mahalo, Darrell & Maizie, for helping to create a stronger, healthier, more vibrant Maui community.

Proceeds for this year’s “Raise the Paddle” auction will benefit Hui youth arts education programming, which include foundation arts workshops, free portfolio development programs, collaborations with local schools to integrate arts into the curriculum, scholarship programs for families unable to afford tuition, and youth-at-risk and special needs programs that enable access to high-quality arts education for Maui youth.

Seating is limited for this extravagant event. Call the Hui today at 572-6560 to reserve you place or visit the event website at artaffairmaui.com. We need your support!