Support for the Windward Artists Guild

29 09 2023


My fine-art colleagues and I are pleased to invite you to Windward Artists Guild’s October exhibit at the Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden in Kāneʻohe. The entrance to the park is at the end of Luluku Road between Pali Highway and Likelike Highway. All the information is on the flyer above. If you would like to visit me in person and learn how I make my hand-dyed tissue-paper collages, I will be at the gallery on the mornings of October 11, 12, and 27.  Better yet, come to our reception from 12:30 to 3:30 pm on Sunday, October 8, where you can meet many more artists!

Be well. Art is healing.

~ Rebekah


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Categories : About me, Fine Art, Friends & Family, Travel

Waikīkī

16 07 2023


Many local residents avoid Waikīkī, a haven for tourists, some of who think that IS Hawaiʻi. I live in Windward O’ahu, a good 45 minutes of driving time away, and except for visiting friends, attending my Hawaiian language class, the occasional gig, or dinner at favorite restaurants, I am content to hang around here.

I made the exception yesterday to attend the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival where my cousin-in-law Geri Valdriz was performing.

I arrived early, so I took a stroll through the Royal Hawaiian Hotel grounds nearby. I walked through the lobby and straight to the beach and was reminded why Waikīkī Beach was said to be a place for kings. The shore and the view of Leahi, or Diamond Head, are probably the same, but oh, so many people! After Geri played music, we were advised to skedaddle home to avoid the Waikīkī Moonlight Festival Block Party for which the main thoroughfare of Kalākaua avenue was closed. Here are my daytime images:

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

 

Coconut grove at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Old map in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel lobby

“There’s Diamond Head!” said one, said many.



 Powder room at the Royal Hawaiian 
Pink hibiscus matches the “Pink Palace”

 Cute matcha green tea flavored cream puff

Surfing off Kūhiō Beach

Steel guitarist Geri Valdriz and friends

Be well, and remember to apply the proper sunscreen before going outdoors.

~Rebekah 


Many local residents avoid Waikīkī, a haven for tourists, some of who think that IS Hawaiʻi. I live in Windward O’ahu, a good 45 minutes of driving time away, and except for visiting friends, attending my Hawaiian language class, the occasional gig, or dinner at favorite restaurants, I am content to hang around here.

I made the exception yesterday to attend the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival where my cousin-in-law Geri Valdriz was performing.

I arrived early, so I took a stroll through the Royal Hawaiian Hotel grounds nearby. I walked through the lobby and straight to the beach and was reminded why Waikīkī Beach was said to be a place for kings. The shore and the view of Leahi, or Diamond Head, are probably the same, but oh, so many people! After Geri played music, we were advised to skedaddle home to avoid the Waikīkī Moonlight Festival Block Party for which the main thoroughfare of Kalākaua avenue was closed. Here are my daytime images:

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

 

Coconut grove at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Old map in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel lobby

“There’s Diamond Head!” said one, said many.



 Powder room at the Royal Hawaiian 
Pink hibiscus matches the “Pink Palace”

 Cute matcha green tea flavored cream puff

Surfing off Kūhiō Beach

Steel guitarist Geri Valdriz and friends

Be well, and remember to apply the proper sunscreen before going outdoors.

~Rebekah 


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Creature of habit

4 07 2023

When you get out of bed each morning, after you’ve done your toilette, made the coffee and taken your meds (if you take meds) do you have an additional routine?
I’m  grateful I have the dog JJ to feed, water, and walk; although lately he’s enjoyed taking a ride!

Every morning I cannot resist collecting the orange-colored kou flowers that have rained to the ground overnight. With these I string lei kui style.

I rake the kou leaves and seeds to tidy the lawn and for a little exercise. Then, I cannot wait to grab my reading glasses and a pen to do the crossword puzzle. I’m miffed that there is no paper for the crossword on Saturdays, so I’m glad I have my Hawaiian language class to attend on those days to distract me.
Additionally, I play Solitaire cards in the evening after dinner. With the scriptwriters’ strike, there’s not much on TV.

There is one universal routine that never changes, I’ve told my granddaughters. Laundry!

Now I think it might be a good idea to resume my art and piano playing as habits! Be well, everyone.

~Rebekah


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Art and more art

29 06 2023

Just a few more days to catch “Remembering Susan,” an exhibit of hand-dyed tissue-paper collage paintings and ceramics in honor and memory of my friend, teacher, and mentor Susan Rogers-Aregger at ARTS at Marks gallery, 1159 Nuuanu Ave. at Pauahi street in Honolulu Chinatown.

I’ll be at the First Friday closing reception on June 30 from 5 to 7 pm if you’d like to see the unique creations and meet the other artists as well.

ARTS at Marks is a popular venue for affordable art made by local artists. In fact, my work will be in the next show there as well.

For “Mix and Match”—running July 7-28–I am resurrecting four oils that I painted prior (or while) injuring my wrist from the repetitive motion of my brush strokes: 

“Life at Ka Punahou,” “Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli,” “Byodo-In,” and “At Wailupe.”

The opening reception is from 5 to 7 pm on July 7.

“Life at Ka Punahou”

“Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli”

“At Wailupe”

“Byodo-In”

There is “something” about viewing original fine art in person. Hope you’ll take advantage of the opportunity.

Recommended parking at the Chinatown Municipal Parking Garage.

Be well,

Rebekah


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Oh, joy! Earworms for days

12 06 2023

The sanctuary of Kawaiahaʻo Church filled with concert goers yesterday to hear “Jubilate Deo,” a choral and symphonic work composed by Dan Forrest, and performed by the Windward Choral Society and symphony musicians under the direction  of Susan McCreary Duprey. What an honor and a pleasure!
The lyrics, after Psalm 100 in the Bible, for each of seven movements, are in a different language, that is, our chorus sang in seven different languages. It’s not a long piece—50 minutes—and our director prides herself in concluding on the dot. I think she was a minute early in rehearsal!

In rehearsal

Because of my bad back, I sang seated from a chair behind the brass section. Sometimes I couldn’t hear myself. A friend quipped, ”At least you weren’t in front of the brass!” Ahaha, that’s for sure! This was my view, looking toward the back of the church toward the pipe organ.

I’m glad I remembered to ask Dan Forrest to sign my score!

Composer Dan Forrest and Rebekah Luke (Alto 2). Photo by Peter Krape)

“Omnis terra, jubilate, omnis terra, laudate, Omnis terra, jubilate Deo!”

“Sing for joy, dance in gladness, shout for joy, all the earth!”

”Alleluia!”

Be well, everyone, and keep singing!

~ Rebekah


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My art receives Honorable Mention

18 03 2023

I appreciated very much the words of Gregory Pai, the juror of Ultra III exhibit of the Windward Artists Guild. He gave the remarks on March 16, 2023, about my hand-dyed tissue-paper collage entitled “Crater View.” The actual crater at Kilauea was Fissure 8, now named ʻAhuʻailaʻau. The acoustics were poor in the second-floor lobby of Pauahi Tower, where the art will be hanging for two months, so I hope I heard the video correctly for my transcription:

“ … it’s not a piece of work that shouts at you when you look at it, but when you start to look at it very closely, it goes deeper and deeper and deeper. And it’s just very skillful use of collage elements to create an abstract, visual landscape. And the excellent values, differentiation and composition using very strong diagonal shapes gives it a strong sense of movement, depth, and aerial perspective. So it was an abstract, but in the same sense you felt like you were looking at a crater. And it had a very real depth abstract quality to it, and it was done in collage, which is a very difficult medium to work with …”

Be well.

~ Rebekah


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Art, music & letters rewind

2 03 2023

The National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW) is a club for women who work professionally as fine artists, writers, and composers. What they have in common is the blank page to start.

When I was a reporter for The Honolulu Advertiser, during and after college, noted and respected writer Gwenfread Allen introduced me to the Honolulu Branch of NLAPW that held regular monthly meetings I enjoyed. Fine, but what I really enjoyed was meeting the Arts members. I wanted to be like them, and that’s what inspired me to take oil painting lessons from the now late Gloria Foss, followed by tissue-paper dying and collage-making workshops by Susan Rogers-Aregger, who has also passed. Currently I have an inventory of paintings and collages. The most recently completed collage “Crater View” has been juried into “Ultra III” at Pauahi Tower, 2nd  Floor Lobby, on exhibit from March 12 through May 11.

If you’re reading this, then you know I write a blog. It’s not my whole life; mostly I try to keep it upbeat. I’ve written about a lot of things, and if you scroll way way down, you’ll come to a search box. Plug in a topic and be surprised. I write a travel blog, too, “Popo Goes Abroad,” accessed from the menu bar.

As for music, I’m not composing nor arranging, but I really enjoy  my part as a chorister in the Windward Choral Society. The choir is currently rehearsing “Jubilate Deo” composed by Dan Forrest. We are scheduled to perform this major work—seven movements in seven different languages—at 4 pm, June 11, 2023, at Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu. Susan McCreary Duprey is the artistic director. Please mark your calendar!

Windward Choral Society

Be well.

~ Rebekah

 


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