Hawaii State Art Museum- 2nd November

The 2nd of November saw Naomi and I visit the State Art Museum for one of our regular post-work get togethers. All the paintings, photography and sculpture is by Hawaiian artists who donate their work to the museum. There were several exhibitions on- of themes including the summertime, roots and culture, and photography of everyday life and portraits.

Naomi in the entrance of the museum- a really gorgeous building.

Here's a fun sculpture- a great big gecko on a sun lounger!!

The stripe bellied puffer fish makes yet another appearance! This time on a hand-made jug from a set of three beautiful and unusually sculpted kitchen vessels, painted gaily with different sea creatures on.


Here's a photograph I particularly liked- taken during preparations for a luau. Luaus are traditional Hawaiin events- great big feasts with lots of meat, dancing, celebration and displays of fire swinging. I haven't yet been to one but hope to before I leave because they are a big part of the Hawaiian culture.


This photo is so cool! Its a photo of a man painting a picture of the landscape he's standing in, although the quality of the picture makes the entire thing look like a painting.

The style of this huge painting reminded my very much of some of my sister Daisy's stuff, only her subjects are cowboys and indians, not rowers (anyone who has seen her work will know exactly what I mean), and she uses oil paints whereas this was done with acrylics. Still it jumped out at me, and thought she'd be interested to see it.


This one was Naomis favourite. It has an almost photorealistic quality to it, and shows the discovering of Hawaii back in the day when all the volcanic activity was still going on.

The shot above is of my favourite painting in the museum. "Whirl" by Carol Bennet. It is 3 canvasses, each one depicting a close up of a Hawaiian fish, a sailfish tang, lion fish and moray eel. I was so taken by this I would willingly part a lot of money to one day hang it in my house. I enquired as to whether it was for sale but the assistant said it belonged to the museum and was not for sale. Boo!

Here is a good shot of one of the three canvasses.

After the museum we went and ate lunch on Bishop Square, an area with an individual, cosmopolitan feel, with lots of little independant food outlets. We sat on tables and chairs on the pavement surrounded by the beautiful architecture and modern water features that are incorporated into the huge, squarely cut walls, steps and walkways. All around this area of Honolulu there are beautiful bike racks- well not racks exactly but designated bike parking constructions shaped themselves like bicycles. Usually they are just painted black, but the one by Bishops Square is painted with the American flag. Here it is...