What's Your Story?

Last week Hui No'eau participated in National Philanthropy Day at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, the aim being "to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that philanthropy—and those people active in the philanthropic community—have made to our lives, our communities and our world."

 

Joined by 400+ colleagues in nonprofit management with missions focused on a wide variety of causes ranging from social justice and conservationism to cancer research and providing safe havens for abused children, this 2-day conference was an invigorating way to connect with what was largely a non-arts group of extraordinary individuals, with one important common characteristic: a passion for our work.

 

It's no secret that nonprofit workers are gravely underpaid throughout the entire sector, which calls for a staff that very personally relate to the organizational mission. Board members volunteer their time and energy (hence the term "nonprofit") to govern (what are largely) small businesses and protect the financial viability of their programs & services. Community members step up to the plate to contribute in any way they can. Many constituents donate time, products, services and, of course, money to see to it that these missions are carried out in their respective communities. While many of these people serve very different purposes, they are ultimately exhibiting a strong sense of philanthropy in support of a common cause.

 

As I networked with conference participants, trained with expert instructors and listened to the inspiring words of foundation panelists and exemplary nonprofit innovators, it occurred to me that the mission of Hui No'eau may not be as easily recognized as its Hui may think. Example: I have just listened to a health reform executive director describe his latest fundraising effort to install a Skype-like application in the hospital rooms of terminally ill patients unable to say goodbye to their loved ones living thousands of miles away when he takes a look at my name badge and says, "wow, the arts, huh? How's THAT going in this economy?" Despite the clear recognition that he and I were plainly doing work of a different scale, my response was, "Great, actually." It seems that many folks hear the term "arts education" and stop short at the word "art" when, in fact, what we are trying to accomplish is so much more. 

 

About a month ago, one of our teen students' parents called my office to talk about a recent program we concluded with a group that helps at-risk high school students deemed unable to cope in a "regular" classroom environment get back on track, both academically and socially. She wanted to thank me first for offering scholarships to all of the participants and then for simply developing the series of workshops. As we began to chat about the group and all of the progress they made, she broke down into tears saying that the program completely reopened the lines of communication between she and her son, who have not been able to talk without arguing for a very long time. She mentioned that it took some time, but gradually her son came home wanting to describe the projects he was working on in the ceramics studio and eventually, thinking about ways to incorporate the work into his regular high school curriculum. Though it may not seem too far of a stretch for our general constituency of artists, this was clearly a breakthrough for this woman and I felt a sincere sense of gratitude for having touched her family's life in some small way.

While we may not be saving lives, I profoundly believe that we are making lives more fulfilling, and for many, offering life-changing experiences. Whether it's the Baldwin High School student I met at last weekend's Portfolio Day who had no intention of going to art school, but by the end of the say felt like he "actually (had) a future as an artist" and felt like he "finally figured it out," the students I met at this year's Annual Student Exhibition who were joined by family & friends to celebrate their very first exhibition, visibly thrilled to be shown alongside their teachers and mentors, or receiving a note on our Facebook page saying, "Hui No'eau gave me the confidence to be an artist. I did ceramics and photography and had one of my paintings exhibited when I was 18 years old. Since then I went to Art Center College of Design to study photography and got sucked into computer graphics. This lead me into the CGI business for feature and animated films. Some day I would love to come and speak at the Hui and tell others how inspiring it is and what it did for me," I believe it is these individual accounts that need to be shared to make our message clear.

As I finished telling the gentleman from the health reform organization these stories, he completely changed his perspective and said to me, rather surprised, "that is really remarkable. Why don't I know more about this?"

I will leave this response to you. How have the visual arts made an impact on your life? What's your story? We'd love to hear it. 

-Hui No'eau

Wailea Food & Wine Celebration

On Friday, November 20th nearly 200 artists, collectors, educators and supporters gathered at Hotel Wailea (formerly the Diamond Hawaii Resort & Spa) for the Hui's 3rd annual Wailea Food & Wine Celebration, a fundraiser for the arts center and its printmaking program.

Sponsored by Chambers & Chambers wine merchants, the event took place on the resort's Gazebo Lawn, offering breathtaking views during sunset followed by an elegant setting beneath the stars. The evening included fine cuisine by top chefs Chris Kulis of Capische, James Furnish of Five Palms, Eric Arbogast of Cuatro, Ralph Giles of Catering from Soup to Nuts and Cameron Lewark of Spago as well as delectable wines donated by Justin Vineyards & Winery, Shafer Vineyards and Testarossa Vineyards. Dessert was provided by the talented Maui Culinary Academy. Celebrated musician Melinda Caroll entertained the crowd while former Hui No'eau print studio director Paul Mullowney presented special edition prints by Brad Brown, Judy Pfaff and Max Gimblett at specially reduced event prices. Additionally, the Hui's annual Printmaking Studio Calendar was released, which features original prints by 13 prominent printmaking artists, all of whom donated their work for this praised tradition.

"We owe much of the event's success to Jim Powlan," says Executive Director Caroline Killhour of the Chambers & Chambers head, who sponsored the event, "Jim's been involved with Hui No'eau as a student, devoted open studio participant, exhibitor and successful artist. We sincerely thank him, as well as his wife, Barbara Fong, for their extraordinary support of the event, the Hui and of community arts education on Maui."

(Click image to enlarge)

(Eric Romanchak, Jill Spalding, Jim Haynes, Leona Holaday, Sandi Stoner, Melinda Carrol, Lee & John Hoxie, Sandy Rice, Wendy Peterson, Sarah Bredhoff, Carolyn Schaefer Gray, Tim Farrington, Lou Cole, Sara Farrington, Jolene Cole, Steve & Billie Moksnes, Jack Gray, Judy & Pete Siracusa, Mike & Jill Spalding, winners of the Max Gimblett Guggenheim Enso, John & Donnette Gene Wilson, Executive Director Caroline Killhour with Hui President Jennifer Brunner) Photographs by the extraordinary Anna Feingold

Kamehameha First-Graders at Hui No‘eau

This past Tuesday, 40 first grade Kamehameha students and 8 parent-volunteers participated in the Hui’s Explore & Discover program during a field trip developed in partnership with Kamehameha teacher Diane Fell.

The half-day visit consisted of a guided tour of the Primarily Red exhibition in the space that served as the living and dining room space for Harry & Ethel Baldwin in the early 1900’s, two artist-led workshops in professional artist studio spaces and lunch & play time on the front lawn beneath the hibiscus trees.

“This was a wonderful experience for our keiki, and the teaching artists were outstanding- great enthusiasm, knowledge and attitude!” said Diane Fell. “I could see the teachers’ enthusiasm and love for art inspiring the children. Thank you for your strong commitment to arts education,” remarked parent-volunteer Kekai Delmendo.

The Hui offers multiple collaboration opportunities like these for schools and community groups. From free tours of the gallery and historic estate to sequential based workshops customized for a particular age-group or special needs to artist residencies, matching funds are available to keep programming affordable. So far this year, more than 300 students have been served on-site through these exposure visits, with 700 more through additional children’s programming.

Kihei Charter School’s Virtual-Hybrid Academy teacher Leslie Baldridge brought her class to the Hui earlier this year remarking, “the setting alone brought out the creativity of each student; the teaching artists were clear and concise in their delivery. The program was amazing. The students did not want to leave when the trip was over. Many of them commented the next class day that it was the best field trip that they had ever attended!”

FLASHnews

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Seeing RED

Primarily RED exhibition: October 2 - November 14, 2009

Receiving Day: September 25 (10 AM - 5 PM)

Opening Reception: October 2 (6 PM - 8 PM)

Juror: Lauren Harris

Are you up to the challenge?

Review of 2009 Solo Artist Exhibition

Read review by Maui Weekly

ENGI: An original keiki ARTcamp production

1 more reason why ARTcamp rules...

Meet Tim Garcia & Margo Ray, 2009 Solo Artist Exhibition Artists

On Friday, August 21st the Hui will present complete new bodies of work by two incredible Hawaii-based artists during it's 2009 Solo Artist Exhibition.

Tim Garcia's "Oval Explorations" utilizes a multitude of different stone, wood, and metal to explore the oval form in unconventional, as well as more traditional mediums. "The oval is a form I find myself drawn to again and again in my work. Whether perfectly round, or a little off-centered in the interior or exterior of a form, the softness and sensuality draws me in." says Tim. The focus of the exhibit is a large wall installation of curved and cut wood. Tim has also explored the oval utilizing printmaking, caste bronze seedpods, and a couple of surprises to be unveiled at the show.

Margo Ray will present "Postcards, Snapshots and Collected Lamentations." These mixed media collages are pages from sketch books that I make on an ongoing basis as part of my studio practice. I collect postcards, tourist memorabilia, photographs, playing cards and magazine pages. My process is fast, intuitive, random and excessive and represents artistic responses to my experience of the world. My notebooks reflect the contradictions that I feel in my life and the world around me. Margo says about her work, "The art I am presenting is very personal and intimate on a certain level, almost like going through someone' s diary".

Recently we had a chance to sit down with the artists and get to know a bit more about their inspiration, processes ad intentions.

Why do you do what you do? What is the purpose?

MR: Creating art is, to me, a public service; it provides a connection to and reflection of humanity. I create not necessarily for the greater good but as part of a larger point in life. I can't imagine not doing this.

TG: I do what I do…because my head would explode otherwise! My art is my way of expressing my reflections of life, being, society, where I am immediately and how it relates to what I want to do for the community.

What connections do you strive to convey between your work and the community?

MR: I strive to convey a message of accessibility in my work, which I believe strengthens my connection with those viewing, or participating in it. My media consists of everyday objects, old photographs, textures and found materials transformed into dynamic pieces that speak to the seer in different ways. My technique is completely transparent, which allows people inside of the process and, I hope, inspires a community dialogue.

TG: My aim is to spur a social and political commentary, to evoke beauty, to rouse discussion amongst people with a preexisting connection, whether it be the physical community or their love of the arts. I want to convey that art is something we all deserve- it's not an American ideal, but a world ideal.

What is the contrast between the intent of your work and the perception of your work?

MR: I find that my work embraces an unconscious influence of place; the colors, plant life, textures and diversity of Hawaii are all major factors in the plan. When I exhibit outside of Hawaii, in Canada for example, these features seem to be quite striking to the looker, especially in terms of color, yet once they learn where I'm from they seem to get it. I've met people that have visited the islands and then come back to me saying "ah ha."

TG: I'm a very tactile person; I want people to touch my work- I truly value that bond between my art and the seer. I find this to be very surprising to people as they are accustomed to a slap on the wrist for getting anywhere within 3 feet of a work of art, especially a sculpture. I'm tackling this contrast by attempting to break down barriers. I want the perception to be one of approachability and participation, not simply looking.

Tell me about a surprising comment or reaction your work has created?

MR: Again, it goes back to the perception of my work as being very much out of place or built out of scale. As a result my work has begun to develop an increasingly reactionary style. I find myself more aware of the colors and values emitted, although not a literal description of Hawaii, but very much an acknowledgement of it.

TG: I created a mother & child piece some time ago, each fitting into the other in a reverse, circular style that I was so pleased with aesthetically. As people came to see it on exhibit it was causing a chuckle, soon to be revealed to me an unconscious result of the giant "69" it was depicting. I can't look at that piece now without thinking it. My 69 piece. (Laughs).

Learn more about this and other upcoming Hui No`eau exhibitions at www.huinoeau.com

*Portraits by Doug Bowser, Hui Teaching Artist

Hui Announces Artists Selected for 2009 Solo Artist Exhibition

On Friday, August 21^st, 2009, the Hui will proudly present it's bi-annual Solo Artist Exhibition, featuring a complete body of work by two emerging artists that have made significant contributions to our local arts and culture.

One of the only shows in the state of Hawaii providing the unique opportunity for artists to be personally involved in all facets of the exhibition planning and installation, the Solo Artist Exhibition has advanced careers, attracted valuable exposure for emerging artists, and spurred community dialogue.

Previous artists selected for the exhibition include Abigail Romanchak, Deb Nehmad, San Shoppell, David Hamma, KC Smith, Rick Allred, Deybra Fair, and Janet Davis, all of which have become well-known for their work and continue to develop successful careers as artist practitioners.

"I had my Hui Solo show in 1995, two years after I had moved to the island. It was a wonderful way to get to know the art community here as well as an amazing creative challenge. A solo show at an art center like the Hui really pushes you to do your best I've had about 14 solo shows since then and have acquired a great base of collectors and galleries". - Janet Davis

"Having the opportunity to create a new body of work for the Hui No'eau Solo Exhibition challenged me to produce a visually and conceptually strong exhibition. It was an honor to show a collection of my work in such a beautiful and accessible gallery space". -Abigail Lee Kahilikia Romanchak

"As a practicing artist in Hawaii, I was honored by the opportunity to compete for and be awarded a Solo Exhibition in a community art space like the Hui. The exercise of completing the application, and then curating one's own work was invaluable. The space itself is a wonderful place to show one's art and the staff was very helpful. The fact that there are so few opportunities in Hawaii for an artist to have a solo show makes the opportunity all the more invaluable. I also appreciated the ability to reach an audience beyond Oahu". –Deborah Nehmad

This year's show will feature Maui's own Tim Garcia and the Big Island's Margo Ray. Garcia's new body of work, Oval Explorations, will bring to fruition his exploration of this simple, yet pervasive shape through sculpture, print, and cast metals. Ray will present, Postcards, Snapshots and Collected Lamentations, with collages that are global in their perspective and often address ideas and emotions around our post-colonial present.

"I've been a part of this art community for a long time," says Garcia, "following in the footsteps of past Solo Artists like Abbey & Dave, I was honored by the opportunity to apply and am proud to be a part of this tradition. It's been a great to focus on the momentum I've gained in working with circular forms and growth cycles."

"It's been exciting for me to get back to this idea of creating work that doesn't necessarily include painting, drawing or other skills widely considered to be fine art," says Ray, "Initially I was surprised by the paring of Tim and I, but really we both focus on accessibility, dialogue and texture. It's great that the Hui is focusing on community-based work and I look forward to experiencing the final result."

The exhibition runs from August 21 through September 25, 2009. Stay tuned for updates and opening information at www.huinoeau.com

Kamehameha Scholars Take to the Hui

Kamehameha Scholars recently participated in a guided gallery tour, Q&A session and multiple hands-on workshops exploring concepts of self-identity through a variety of media. The trip was the group's Maui-based activity for 2009, aimed at broadening understanding of education and future careers in the arts. Kamehameha Scholars is a supplementary enrichment program for students from all Hawaiian Islands with a focus on college and career guidance designed to encourage and assist students in raising their academic and career aspirations. It is part of Kamehameha Schools' effort to extend its educational reach to more students of Hawaiian ancestry.

 

"We had a wonderful time at the Hui," said Kamehameha Scholars Program Specialist Renee Jorg,  "The experience was educational and enlightening for the students. We wish to have more opportunities like this with the Hui in the future. Our time with you was fun-filled and very enriching. We hope to continue the collaboration into next year."

 

Excerpts from the student evaluations read:

 

The Hui is AIGHT!!! Very nice, knowledgeable speakers with activities that were so much better than expected, as I've been to so many art classes–but I really enjoyed this trip.

 

SUPER CHERRY- I really liked drawing that new way and have a lot more of confidence to create art.

 

Taking photos isn't easy. I learned how to set up a photo using shadow, depth, primary colors, and Photoshop in the MAC lab. They have a lot of options and activities for kids, like taking classes during breaks and setting up scholarships. 

July Youth Programs at the Hui

It's hard to believe June will be over in just a matter of days, and with it the end-of-the-school-year-vacation season. What better way to celebrate than to get good & messy with your friends here at the Hui?! Below is just a sampling of options we'll be featuring this July:

Full-Day ARTcamp (now thru August 7)

A one-of-a-kind summer program, Hui No`eau ARTcamp features a wide range of multi-media workshops led by qualified teaching artists on the scenic Upcountry grounds of Kaluanui. With weekly themes ranging from Fantastical Fauna; Whoosiewhatsies, Gadgets & Gizmos; to Earth Walk: Discoveries from Makawao to Mars, each weekly session offers a super fun and creative experience that campers are sure to remember for years to come. Activities include hand building, 3D arts, jewelry design, painting, drawing, theater arts, digital photography, creative movement and more with specials provided by community partners like Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, the East Maui Watershed Project and keiki entertainer and magician Neil Bruce, "The Amazing Stuporman." Student artwork will be featured in the Hui gallery during a 2-week exhibition unveiled on August 1st during Family Day: A Community Celebration of the Arts. 

“My 6-year old son came home full of positive words and energy every day,” said one parent, “His self-esteem got a huge boost from the positive words and actions of the teachers. He enjoyed all the instructors and as a parent I am very grateful for this program.”

“My 11-year old was upset everyday during pickup because it meant it was time to go home!” said another parent and participant of the Hui Scholarship program, “of all the camps we have participated in over the years, this camp has been the best- just truly outstanding!”

Half-Day Ceramic ARTcamp (now thru July 31)

Half-day Ceramic ARTcamp offers children aged 5-8 a sequential based 2-week curriculum in hand building and those aged 9-12 basic techniques in wheel-throwing & sculpture. Led by Ceramics MFA Katie Cox who believes "experimentation, exploration, and observation each play an important role in the learning process and also aid in the development of creative thinking," and Jessica Gordon, HI-State licensed art teacher with a concentration in Ceramics whose teaching philosophy compels the  "need to express to others a feeling, aptitude, and/ or experience that will help the individual develop skills used in everyday life," half-day Ceramic ARTcamp offers an incredibly valuable and opportune way to engage students in the arts by highly qualified teaching artists. Let's get messy!

Comic Books with the School of Visual Arts (Beginning July 13)

July 13th brings a thrilling opportunity for our teen arts community to work with two very special visiting artists. Join NYC-based artists Tom Hart of the School of Visual Arts (SVA)  and Leela Corman, staff illustrator for PBS's channel Thirteen, for "Illustration, Comics & Animation," Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17 (9 AM – 3 PM), a teen intensive workshop focusing on character development, story line, illustration and imagery- and ultimately the creation of each participant's very own graphic novel. A faculty professor with SVA's Illustration & Cartooning Department, Tom is the founder of serializer.net and daily comic strip Ali's House. A professional middle eastern belly dancer, Leela's illustration clients the New York Times, Simon & Schuster and the Boston Phoenix. Classroom teachers are also invited to learn these skills during a professional development workshop on Friday, July 24 to bring Tom & Leela's work into their own classrooms. This exciting and rare opportunity is not to be missed. Pass it on! (Register here)

Flash Animation in the New Media Lab (Beginning July 20)

While Leela's busy working her skills in the adult visiting artist program, Tom will be taking their workshop one step further to help us celebrate the official opening of our brand new Children's Media Lab. Teens are invited to join Tom in the 4-day intensive "Cartooning in Flash," Monday, July 20 - Thursday, July 23, during which students transform paper and pencil characters and sketches into animated features. Using the Macromedia Flash application, students will learn complex tools in the Mac lab as well as more subtle principles of animation. All students will be invited to curate, set and showcase their work in the Hui gallery during the August Youth Arts Exhibition. Now, what's more fun than that!? (Register here)

Family Day: A Community Celebration of the Arts (Saturday, August 1)

Please join us on Saturday, August 1 (10 AM - 2 PM) at the Hui for Family Day: a Community Celebration of the Arts! This fun event celebrating the opening of the 2009 Youth Arts Exhibition (featuring work from every child & teen participating in summer programming) is FREE and open to families of all ages. Attendees will enjoy an afternoon of hands-on arts experiences, including workshops in the Christopher Gartner Children's Studio, live demos by artists & open studio users, Youth Art Exhibition in the Hui Gallery, silly scavenger hunt, T-Shirt Boot Camp with Nathalie Nunez in the Photo Studio (ages 13+), walking tours of our working artist studios and historic grounds of Kaluanui, live music performance by acclaimed Maui band An Den, and many more surprises! Plan to spend the day and picnic on our beautiful lawn! We hope to see you there!