A group of classmates packed and fulfilled the early orders for our reunion book today. It was my honor to design the 164-page volume. God designed the cover shot of a Kaaawa sunrise. I just happened to be lucky enough to capture it with my iPhone!
Punahou School Class of 1967 50th Reunion
A small oil sketch to demonstrate painting white. White is pearly gray.
Glass Full of Daisies – 2017 – By Rebekah Luke
Greetings ~ friends, art lovers, and art patrons! I am taking my very lastest creation made from hand-dyed tissue paper to the Punahou Carnival Art Gallery next week. By invitation next Tuesday, and open to the public on February 3 and 4. Please enjoy “A Lovely Afternoon.” Here’s a preview.
“A Lovely Afternoon” Original 20″ x 16″ hand-dyed tissue paper collage on canvas, copyright 2017 Rebekah Luke.
What went down last night. Down the hatch and into our bellies. So decadent, but my girlfriends and I enjoyed! The occasion was a soirée at Cynthia’s, a potluck. How’s this for potluck?!
Cynthia graciously mixed cocktails, poured wine, and provided cutely decorated chocolate cupcakes to start and finish. Valerie shared the fresh salmon she and the boat she was on caught in Alaskan waters, most welcome as I am hesitant to eat fish these days. Candice brought bruschetta con pomodoro, I brought cold brussel sprout leaf and coconut soup, and Lori brought and styled this fabulous once-in-a-lifetime special cheese/salami/fruit/condiment array. I am grateful to have been able to share this table.
My photo is real, untouched, just the way Lori arranged the food on the tray, and shot straight with existing light and my iPhone6. I like it a lot.
In my world, much of what I do is creative. Creating interesting and beautiful things brings me satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, joy. I don’t initially do it for money although, come to think of it, most of my income has come from making fine art and from designing and writing publications and lesson plans. I’ve yet to turn a buck composing or singing or cooking!
Last night a volunteer appreciation party at Kaneohe Yacht Club for Pacific Cup race workers reminded me of other benefits of creating and of involving others in the process. Those benefits are respite and therapy. I led a crew of 25 in making lei garlands for the arriving boats from San Francisco.
When I arrived late to the party (bad highway traffic), I learned it was announced the free drinks were courtesy of the monetary donation I made from partial proceeds of the lei that happens to be a product we sell. Well, that is not exactly the kind of therapy I was thinking of ;-), but we did make money, and it gave me satisfaction to spend a morning writing checks to the lei makers and two organizations that collaborated for the activity. We made lei!
During Pacific Cup time I’ve noticed, or sometimes the lei makers tell me, some come to make a lei or two or three in order to take a break from a difficult situation at home.
A family member was in the hospital, or a spouse was ill, or they got childcare so they were free to come. They made the time or they took the time to come and do something they loved to do and be among other people. That they would tell me this touched my heart, and I am so very glad and grateful I could provide the creative outlet.
Creating interesting and beautiful things also brings freedom and peace. Namaste. ~ Rebekah
After our piano lesson when Miss Marvelous our moʻopuna (grandchild), now 7, was quick to grasp the Italian terms of forte, piano, fortissimo, pianissimo, etc.—likely because she lived in Italy for three years—she asked me, “Popo, do you have any watercolors? May I paint?”
“Sure,” I said.
Once in the studio she asked, “Popo, do you work with values, like the value scale?”
Surprised at such an adult question, I said, “You mean the shades of gray? Yes, I do, Ayla, values are the most important thing to know about art. Are you learning that in school?”
I remembered she announced the first week in her new school this summer after first grade, “I have an art teacher!”
“My teacher has a wheel like yours except it’s smaller,” she said, bouncing over to my color wheel on the wall. “These are the primary colors, and these are the secondary colors.”
“How about the complementary colors, the ones opposite each other on the wheel? Where are the tints and the shades?” I quizzed.
I got out my watercolor kit and sent Ayla with a jar to the sink for water. I gave her a small panel of thick textured paper.
Picking up the brush she said, “There are warm colors and cool colors.”
Hmmm . . . impressive. Thinking about values, to myself I said “fortissimo” and “pianissimo, too,” but I kept silent and let Ayla paint her own rainbow.
Rebekah’s Studio 
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