I travel, paint, photograph, philosophize and sometimes its just plain rambling. I also sell my watercolors and oil paintings, both originals and prints. The philosophy is free. Just a note; all text and images on this site are copyrighted and should not be used without my permission. Just ask, I love to chat. Thanks for visiting.
I love orchids- and usually have several growing around the house. These were in my kitchen window a few years ago when I took several photographs and then put this little painting together. The other leaves are the philadendron plant that was competing for sunlight with the orchid.
Watercolor on Arches 140lb cold pressed rag
From a local Aloha Festival in Southern California a few years ago. I went to photograph the dancers and came away with some good material and new friends. These girls were getting ready to perform- just walking onto the state with their "halau" or school.
Watercolor on arches 140 lb cold pressed
"Ha'ina ka inoa o hualalai, Kuahiwi ku kilakila "
Hualalai is the volcano just behind Kailua-Kona town on Hawaii island. Her 8,271 foot summit may be dwarfed by her more famous neighbors, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa- both just shy of 14, 000 feet from the sea, but she is quite celebrated and beautiful.-
Hanohano Hualalai e ku mai la
Distinguished Hualalai standing
E ho’ohiwahiwa ana a’i na Kona
Adorning the district of Kona
Hualali is frequently seen with a garland of clouds that ring around her like a lei. This is caused by the currents of air weaving around the 5 mountains of this island together with the heat and steam from the Kiluea eruptions to the south east.
The painting is watercolor on Arches cold pressed rag- the bay is Kaloko-Honokohau just north of Kailua Kona
On Hawaii island, north of Kailua-Kona, there's a park called Kekaha Kai. You drive down through the dusty barren lava fields to the shore and then walk over another lava path and you come to Mahai'ula Cove. It's beautiful, uncrowded, white sand against black lava and crystal clear water- perfect for a day of snorkeling and just enjoying the beauty. This watercolor is from my April 2009 visit.
I really love white plumerias! Fresh scent, beautiful, soft as velvet and made for adorning!
Watercolor on 10x14 Lanaquarelle- Original available for $95.00 US plus shipping, prints available for $22.00 US plus shipping- payments accepted via Paypal- please email with any questions
The pearl is tahitian and so is the face. The smile is pure joy. I am intrigued by polynesian faces, the bold defined lines and the big bright smiles.
A visit with a local friend resulted in this painting. Her roses were too lovely to ignore. It was early evening and the late slanted sunlight hit the back of this blossom and made it glow.
South of the Place of Refuge on Hawaii Island, if you take the left past the parking lot , you come to the beach park. Most visitors don't know it's there, but the locals certainly do. Mostly expanses of smooth black lava called pahoehoe, it is also dotted with spots of white sand. This local family was enjoying a serene Sunday afternoon there- and so was I and my friend Jean.
Tiare flowers are the national flower of Tahiti. They are in the same family with gardenias and have a heavenly scent. This young dancer wears leis of white tiare and pink plumeria as she watches fellow performers at a hula event before it is her turn to dance.
watercolor on arches
I love Mangos- fresh from the tree. They grow everywhere in Hawaii, and if you can get to the good ones before the Mynah birds do, you have a real treat!
Reviews:
"Beautiful^^ love the colors "
I love the green geckos in Hawaii, and I do love anthurium flowers- which on the island of Hawaii especially, grow profusely. These two little fellows really seem like they are in the spirit of play in their flower pot world.
Watercolor on Arches cold pressed
On the north west coast of Hawaii island, below the huge lava fields at the shore are little pockets of wonderful white sand beaches. One of these is Kua Bay, or Manini'Owali in Hawaiian. The road there is paved now and it's a bit more crowded than it used to be, attracting guests at the world famous Kohala Coast resorts. It's a beautiful cove with soft white sand and black lava rocks, sparkling clear blue water that can be high with surf or flat as glass depending on what the deep blue Pacific is kicking up. On clear days, you see all the way to Maui across the channel and lots of kids out boogie boarding and playing. Wonderful!
Oil on cotton stretched canvas
On the big island of Hawaii, there is a magical place at the most southern tip of the island. Aptly called South Point, it is the most southern piece of land in the United States. Hawaiian tradition says it is also where the first Polynesian voyagers landed in the islands over 1,000 years ago.
Before the road was paved, the road to South Point was a bumpy muddy track with a charm all it's own. My first trip there was about 10 years ago, with my friends Kawika and Jean. Kawika was driving this outrageous Lincoln Towncare- the color was mauve, and he drove like a maniac. At one point he said to me- "look over there at the rainbows" and as I was extracting my fingernails from the car upholstery which somehow got there when I didn't notice (something to do with Kawika's driving) I looked over in that direction and counted at least 3 rainbows.
The road is paved most of the way down now and the drive isn't nearly as exciting, but it is still full of magic and you must visit in late afternoon when the sun and afternoon clouds send light dancing across the ocean and you feel like you can see all the way to Tahiti another thousand miles away!
The photo is titled: South Point Light Dance ©2002
Reviews for painting:
"A very nice watercolor."
I like the play on words in this title. Chat means cat in french and it also looks like these two are having a "chat" (in English). I found these two on the side of a restaurant I was eating at- the lizard was a darker brown color, but I do love green geckos so decided to make him one of those.
Watercolor on Lanaquarelle rough pressed
I was walking around the local farmer's market one weekend and noticed these big yellow blossoms everywhere- I love Hibiscus flowers and these fellows were huge. Must have taken a couple of dozen pictures or so.
Watercolor on Lanaquarelle rough
Reviews:
"Well painted - not an easy subject - love the yellow hibiscus."
I find tropical flowers in all sort of places- I guess cause I'm looking for them. These were behind the parking lot of a local restaurant in Southern California- beautiful!
A quiet repose, soaking in the morning rays by the Monstera in the garden. Nothing better than that to start your day.
On my visit to Hawaii island in 2007, I stopped by St. Benedict's mission church which has lovely gardens. This blossom was hanging out by the driveway and I loved the contrast of the palm leaf behind the big yellow hibiscus- I just had to paint it.
I am completely enchanted by the visual aesthetics of Polynesian Culture- It's bold, bright, colorful and fresh while having very clear traditions. I often attend local events in Hawaii and Polynesian cultural events on the US Mainland just to photograph and see the beauty. Here's a girl who was attending a local hula event in California, and I added the background of the coconut palm leaves to set the location.
My love of plumerias is apparently well shared. This lovely lady was completely entranced and I wanted to capture that moment and I do believe I did.
Here's an oil painting I did a few years ago.
On my visit to Hawaii island back in 2002, these traditional Koa wood Hawaiian canoes were resting on the beach at Keakakekua Bay and I quickly photographed them. A few months later when I did the painting and listed it for sale, it took exactly 3 days for it to sell! Wow! The canoes have never been seen in this spot again according to my frriend who lives there, so I was very happy to have seen them that day.
Prints available upon request.
There's a magical place on Hawaii island called Kealakekua Bay. Original home of Hawaiian Kings and Kahunas (priests), It is also the place where the famed British explorer Captain Cook landed and Hawaiian culture first met Western civilization. In 2005, my dear dear friend Jean who lives near there took me to a special concert for my birthday at a local house overlooking the bay. The property was ringed with white plumerias, and this painting is of some of those blossoms.
One of my most well known and purchased prints, this little gecko was someone I met back in 2002 at the Coffee Shack restaurant in Captain Cook Hawaii, in Kona Coffee country. He just kept posing and posing for his picture- even took a stroll up my husband's arm!
I love plumerias, or frangipanis as they are known in Tahiti and Southeast Asia. The frangrance is astounding and they are soft as velvet. Throughout tropical areas it is common to see them adorning neck and hair even on casual ocassions- they truly brighten any moment for me.- This is a watercolor of some plumerias after a light rain in Kona
Haku or head leis are are a daily tradition throughout Polynesia, this girl was attending a local wedding
