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......

What's New?

"What's new?" OK, besides the obvious misalignment of the planets in the conjunction we call democracy....

In trying to recover from shock, we are digging, mowing, pruning, sawing, sanding and HARVESTING.

Top three photos are of our very FIRST bananas, our third harvest of limes, and the lovely blossom and fruit and flower of the Lilikoi vine (passion fruit.) We juice all our many citrus and Lilikoi to freeze in juice-cubes, keeping them in the freezer so we have our own juice nearly all year long. Look closely and you will see two pollinating bees which we treasure.

In Hawaiian culture. this is the season of LONO, beginning in October and lasting about four months. Lono is the god of agriculture and rain. Legends tell that Lono is responsible for bringing cultivated plants to Hawai'i. He is also associated with the makahiki -- a time to celebrate the hard work of farming and to enjoy the fruits of our labor -- a time of peace and recreation. (It obviously coincides with Thanksgiving, Solstice, Christmas, and New Year.)

We thought we would share a few other things that are popping up in our yard right now -- some typical but always a few unexpected surprises.

First is one of our family of house gecko's on the front porch. Off and on we have seen 3-4 of these nocturnal efficient bug catchers. Gecko's in Hawai'i are very special because they are all related to the mythic character, the Mo'o.

Here is a LINK to some information about the Hawaiian Mo'o. Mo'o INFO. We have plans and drawings for a Mo'o sculpture Lunel wants to create to add to our landscaping.  The Mo'o will be placed where a huge outcropping of lava flowed across what is now our driveway. She plans to make it about 6-8' long.

Whatever they are called (dragons, lizards, or geckos, the Mo'o rank among Hawaii's most mysterious creatures, feature in the oldest stories and are a key to a deep and sacred magic. Locals are respectful of the variety of geckos.

The last "What's New" are some surprise mushrooms in the yard.