Phil's Birthday -- Juxtaposition

Photo by our fellow evacuee, The Great Clive Cardozo, Hawaii Aerial Visions LLC, Licensed Drone Pilot

What a strange life we are living!

It's Phil's Birthday this week and while he's glad to have some tools to begin making some art, the reality of this New Life is continuing to shake us to the core.

On the one hand we have an amazing geological Lava Event -- a process of destruction and creation. And in the other hand, we are attempting to re-create our own lives after the mind-blowing obliteration of our retirement/investment dream.

Phil with his new purchases (with generous donations)

First stage: Rough Cut new fish

The photo above shows where we are living. We are living about 15 miles from Luana street in Leilani Estates, where Fissure #8 (current source of all the flowing lave) is spewing huge fountains out of  what was formerly our front yard. This is the view from where we live -- taken by our friend and fellow evacuee, Clive Cardozo with his high-tech drone. The plume on the far left is from lava (flowing at 15-25 mph) into a wide swath of ocean front. The inland plume is from Fissure #8. Watch for the "Night shot" coming soon...."

Just a sample of over 25 finished Hawaiian Reef Fish  ($30 + shipping)

More on the creative side of this equation, Phil was able to buy some necessary tools through a fellow artist from One Gallery in Hilo (where Phil's art is being sold.) He is moving back to California and was selling his good quality used tools.

See Phil's Art - Click HERE

Phil has now managed to gather enough pieces of equipment and tools (also through generous gifts) to continue making his beautiful Hawaiian reef fish again -- sawdust being in his veins from  his Grandpa Dorr Scott, who was a builder and worked with wood.

(PS - Phil is not overly sure about turning 77, but since he is now living here with a 96 year old WW2 decorated bomber pilot named Walter who is teaching him TiChi, he is a bit more encouraged.)

Pretty "Biblical" huh!?! We won't be following this pillar of fire to the promised land -- that's for sure!
(Clive Cardozo, Hawaii Aerial Visions LLC, Licensed Drone Pilot)

Pele and Ohia

"Pele and Ohia"

There are a few versions of the Pele, Ohia, and Lehua story.  The short version is that Pele was attracted to Ohia, but he was in love with Lehua.  Pele, who is known to be jealous decided to punish Ohia, and turned him into a twisted tree.  This decision was apparently not well accepted, and Lehua was then turned into the lovely blossoms that adorn these picturesque trees so abundant in the Puna district where we live.

There are other stories that Pele, in a peak of anger and retribution, poured lava down throughout the Puna district.  What is amazing, (as we have mentioned previously on the blog) is how these trees are one of the first things to shoot up through the expanses of acres of cooled lava.

Phil created this carved koa piece (mounted on mahogany) showing Pele, adorned with Ohia leaves.  He will be taken it in to Hilo's amazing ONE Gallery on Hilo's picturesque bay front.

Phil at ONE Gallery

Last week ONE Gallery in Hilo celebrated it's open house in their new location on Kamehameha Street -- right on the Hilo's bay front.  There was a traditional Hawaiian blessing, music and hula as hundreds of visitors strolled the streets visiting galleries, museums and eateries.  (Yes! in fact, it was very like Old Town Eureka's "Arts Alive.")  Learn more about ONE Gallery: www.onegalleryhawaii.com

(Phil was present, of course, but Lunel was a home tending to the new tribe.  Helping Dexter welcome Ms. Reba B, and Pokole' Poko.)

In one image here, there is a woman looking at Phil's collection of wood art, but this week one of the artists pulled his work out of the gallery, so Phil has a brand new big wall space which really highlights his art.

There are a couple of other really wonderful exhibits in town too, especially at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, Museum of Contemporary Art.  The show there is called Ho'i Hou ia' KaMole  "From the Source" and features art by local talent. www.downtownhilo.com/hawaii-museum-of-contemporary-art





 

Would a Wood Chuck Chuckle?

Phil continues to spend hours in his workshop making wonderful new pieces.  This "character" piece is entitled  -- "A Tear for the Love of the Aina."

There are many kinds of wood here on the Big Island -- the clock is made from Kamani wood.

And, he has already sold a clock and one of his "characters" and is meeting other artists while he does his gallery sitting on Wednesday at One Gallery in downtown Hilo.

Congratulations Phil!

We posted a couple of photographs of Phil's new wood art in January.  Since then, he has been down in his spacious wood shop almost every day working.

Today he is taking ten pieces down to One Gallery, located on the bay front in Old Town Hilo.  One Gallery just moved from their location on Kilauea Street into a wonderful new space on Kamehameha Avenue near great shopping, museums and dining.  

We visited One Gallery on our trips in 2011 and 2012 and felt it would be a good place to show art.  Phil will also be doing gallery duty four hours a week, which he will thoroughly enjoy (without having to think about paying the bills, meeting payroll, or all the other duties associated with being a gallery owner.)

Pictured here are two directions he has been developing -- one a series of characters using wood scraps, and the other he is calling his "Volcano Moon" series.

In addition to these art pieces, he is also making clocks and weather stations using koa and other Hawaiian hardwoods.

 www.onegalleryhawaii.com