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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Categories : About me, Fine Art, Music

Impressive impressions

10 02 2022

Gallery ʻIolani on the campus of Windward Community College in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, is the spacious venue dedicated to the current Windward Artists Guild exhibit. The entrance to the show space is from the lobby of Palikū Theatre.

“Impressions/Expressions” runs until March 4. I stopped by yesterday with a friend to take a look, and, wow, I am proud to be a member of this art group.

Many thanks to Antoinette Martin, the gallery director who designed the show, and to Lauren Faulkner, the awards juror.

More than 100 artworks from 38 people—both recognized professional artists and newcomers to the art community—are in the fine-art display.

An artists reception for the public is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 11. COVID vaccination protocols will be in effect.

Below are photos of pieces by me and my friends Dorothy Brennan and Bernadette Chan.

“Crater View” hand-dyed tissue-paper collage at right, by me.

Ceramic vases by Bernadette Chan

“The Committee” tissue-paper collage by Dorothy Brennan

 

I hope you will come to see the art show!

~Rebekah


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

My Hawaiian volcano collages

14 08 2019

LouisPohl A new exhibit of my art opens on August 27 and extends to September 27, 2019, at LouisPohl Gallery on Bethel street in downtown Honolulu. I’d love to see you at the reception on First Friday evening of September 6. Home-baked chocolate cookies!

News photographs of the 2018 eruption of Kilauea Volcano inspired me to create images in collage. I decided to go big and abstract like the feeling I have when I think of Hawaii the big island. My original collection included pieces depicting the captivating orange fire of Pele, and happily those pieces are now in private residences. The remainder of the tissue paper paintings is in comparatively quieter colors. For unity I have created a new piece entitled “Crater View” in muted tones especially for this exhibit.

Love, Rebekah


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Categories : About me, Fine Art, Travel

Made it through the day

13 04 2019

‘Twas a long day, and we made it.

We’re home now with two granddaughters, two dogs, and a take-and-bake pizza in the oven—too tired to make dinner.
The day out started with a fundraising luncheon event for the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus at a ballroom in downtown Honolulu. Parents, friends, and supporters kept checking their bids in the online auction while the different sub choirs entertained, and people waited their turn at the buffet line. Some started with dessert!
We left early to arrive late at the artists’ reception for the exhibit of paper collages and ceramics on the windward side of the island 30 minutes away.
I had packed up a basket of cookies for the refreshments table and a bunch of pink ginger to decorate. What a joyous gathering of friends and colleagues!

My friend Joy Ritchey, artist

 

Visitors in front of collage paintings by the late Susan Rogers-Aregger, our mentor

 

More friends: Peg Hoefer, (from left), Dan Rogers-Aregger, and Barbara Guidage

Pete had childcare duty tonight, so our granddaughter Perrin met us at the reception and took in the exhibit until closing. She occupied her time drawing and socializing with the adults. Then we went to fetch her older sister Ayla from a birthday party and get the pizza.

Perrin and her freehand drawing after a Bernadette Chan collage in the background.

We drove home, stopping first to pick up Massimo, their dachshund, so he could have company and play with our dog JJ. A scary movie on TV, baths, pajamas—I for one will call it a day.
~ Rebekah
P.S. – It was also a lucky day. I won the bid at the HYOC auction for a one-year membership for four people at Hawaii Theatre Center and the bid for a stunning turquoise pendant. Grateful!

 


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Categories : Fine Art, Music

Art in the garden extraordinaire

29 01 2019

 

Creator Ira Ono has put together the most charming fine arts gallery in a garden I have ever seen. A friend insisted on taking me there today. Now I agree it’s a must see when you visit Volcano on Hawaii island, where I happened to be for a high school class reunion.

The place is called Volcano Garden Arts and Cafe Ono. I was first attracted to the whimsy of interesting objects d’art mixed within the landscape, such as the colorful tea garden.

A pair of extra large blue-and-white pots stand like sentinels at the beginning of a path

Ono Tea Garden

Nearby, a small clearing ringed with mature pines offers a meditation space with a wooden bench at one edge and an altar at the opposite end.

Other sculpted figures provide additional oriental touches.

Large prayer flags decorate a secluded space for a luncheon or tea.

Mister Rabbit

Bird house spigot

Umbrella-ed tables

Two different lizards

    Miniature succulents

Besides the garden there is an indoor space selling fine art by local artists—2D, jewelry, glass, textiles, an array of gift items. I ran into Ira Ono himself, and we had a delightful conversation that ended with him offering to rep me and my hand-dyed tissue paper collages. The artist has good taste.

~ Rebekah


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Categories : Fine Art, Travel

Breadfruit Ma‘afala

20 04 2018

While the inspiration for my latest art was a leaf from the Ma‘afala breadfruit tree outside my window, the finished pieces look little like the actual plant.

The leafy model

My medium—hand-dyed tissue paper collage—lends itself to abstract images. It is tricky to determine the final color of a section that has been layered with the tissue, and the final result is rarely what the artist had in mind in the beginning. When stuck in the creating process, my teacher the late Susan Rogers-Aregger would say, “Glue another paper over it!” But because of all that, surprising results of color and luminescence can be had.

Several folks commented they liked a preview of the finished collages that I posted as photos on social media just before I took them to the frame shop. I was so excited to finish and show them. I admit they were a tad tacky from the final varnish. Framers don’t like that, but this time it was darn near dry!

The actual dimensions are 22″ x 28″ each, and the two were designed as a diptych to hang together, yet each panel can stand alone. I started with a palette of greens and reds and soon changed it to  a triad of complementary colors: violet, green, and orange. I haven’t even given the collages a title yet. Hmmm, maybe it will be “Breadfruit” and “Ma‘afala.”

Pattern

Dried and fallen


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Categories : Fine Art

Ultra art in downtown Honolulu

7 03 2018

The second floor lobby at Pauahi Tower in Honolulu, at 1003 Bishop Street, is home until August 3 for a selection of original fine art by local artists.

The location is convenient for downtown office workers who might walk over during lunch hour for some quiet visual meditation.

The lobby with its high ceilings and window walls lends itself to large pieces. Consider that my “large” contribution of “Royal Archival Banyan” in oil is hanging in a beautiful koa display case.

Display case features both two- and three-dimensional works.

Glass case containing 2D and 3D art reflects high-rise downtown parking garage for a fourth dimension.

Unusual art that caught my eye were a collage by David Friedman, and three smaller pieces: a fish and a couple of decorated fishing floats.

Collage art by David Friedman

Spheres, one a former fishing float.

Fish

Windward Artists Guild and Wendy Roberts organized the exhibit entitled Ultra Exhibit I. Katherine Love was the curator.

For information about purchasing any of the art, please email Wendy Roberts at wag@windwardartistsguild.org

If you go: Alii Place parking garage has reasonable fees. Enter from the right hand lane of Alakea street between King and Hotel streets. Pauahi Tower is one block from Alakea on Bishop street.

—RL


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Categories : Fine Art, Travel

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