Lunel's Newest Art

What a fun year for artistic exploration! After having spent four years working with the lava on our property and being inspired by the variety of shapes, I feel like I have received a blessing (and a few bruises too) from Pele -- and, a new expression of art!

The process begins with a very simple line drawing inspired by shapes I see, After developing the drawings, I load the art into the computer. I collect fabric samples that reflect the colors I want, and I also scan the fabric into the computer. Working with dozens of fabric options, one by one I "drop" them into the negative spaces. Sometimes it takes many days of experimentation  to find just the right colors and textures that will complement each section and the whole piece.


("click" on any image for BIGGER view!)

After perfecting the image, I can print the completed art onto note cards, onto canvas, and even onto fabric. I just finished my first fabric sculpture/quilt -- one of two that will be sold either singly or as a pair.

This past year I have created several images using this inventive technique, but these two were special because they illustrate the return of Pele's lava flow to the ocean. Hawaiian mythology tells of Pele meeting her ocean sister - Namaka and this is happening right now on the Big Island near old site called Mokuna on the Puna coastline a few miles from where we live.

(If you have an interest in these pieces, please let me know. LUNEL)

To the right you see a close up of some of the lovely fabrics......

Booming With Blooms

Island boy at Wailoa Center

When we retired and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii a couple years ago, we left an beautiful well-established Victorian garden we had lovingly tended for over 20 years.  The loss we felt over leaving has been replaced by the delight of our new land and landscape as we work to terraform forest and jungle into garden.

In developing our new garden in the Puna district, we've had a ton of fun buying a whole new pallet of bright unusual plants.  Over a year ago we purchased some unique bromeliads and right now, they are sending up stocks of blooms which will open soon.

In the meantime for Mother's Day, I received this amazing orchid with long, long whiskery lips or lobs.  Many of the orchids we have purchased in the past two years have surprised us by blooming again.  In Humboldt County we never bothered with orchids; too much fuss.  Here, we keep a couple trays filled with them out under the ohia trees and do nothing to them except wait for them to bloom, them bring them into the house to enjoy.

We recently visited one of the local galleries in Hilo at Wailoa Center for their fiber art show.  Although there were a couple of quilts, the other entries utilized a wonderful variety of both man made and natural fibers.

TWO DAYS LATER...I went out to weed around some other 4 1/2 foot tall giant bromeliads (which must be done with care as their razor edges can leave you bloodied) I found yet ANOTHER hidden bloom (close-up artfully adapted.)  So, for our 29th Anniversary, we had to walk around the whole yard -- looking down into the intimacies of all our plants!

"We're All in our Places...."

During the past two years Phil has been painting watercolor images of local native birds -- including two Io (hawk) which visited the Ohia trees in our yard!  Recently, he has completed a third painting in his series of native birds -- the handsome Nene (geese.)   He is now laying out his fourth painting -- Koa'e Kea (white tailed Tropicbird.) Yes its name is "Tropicbird" one-word.

The light in the art studio is perfect for painting, as Reba-Bo-Beeba offers her encouragement.


 In the meantime, with the help of our yard helper and friend Sam, Lunel is continuing on-going terraforming projects in another part of the property, using the accumulated lava for new terraces bed.

The cairn of lava was created by digging up and leveling areas of the yard, particularly as we dug holes for fruit trees and Hapu'u ferns.  The lava pile dwindles, however, as the walls are created for new beds. 

 

An Artist Musing

Those who have known me wearing my artist hat, know the compulsive juices that trace their way through my heart, around my mind, and out... out into art some kine --  often unfamiliar kine.  It is the way I explore.  I often adventure to where I have not been; I like edges.

Exploring lately I find recurring doodles where I try to express how I FEEL about this place.  For me any attempt to picture it or paint it seems too literal for the emotional abstraction of --- (simply- haha) how it FEELS to my spirit, to  my body and my soul to be in communion with this land, this ocean, this sky.  The nurture/nature dance is beguiling and seductive.

My muses seem to have followed any last remnants of molecules that may have been trailing behind me since our arrival on Hawaii's Big Island a year ago.  I think maybe I am now "all here" whatever that means, right.  

We were lucky to have a friend who recently gave me some auto glass I get to break for some of my crash-glass art I was doing before we moved...and which seems to be calling me to play.  Wheeeee!