“My vision is to have a venue for different artists and musicians, anyone who wants to express their talents and to integrate into the community,” said Candy Barr of Aloha-n-Paradise art and event gallery and espresso bar. Her “Featured Artist
“My vision is to have a venue for different artists and musicians, anyone who wants to express their talents and to integrate into the community,” said Candy Barr of Aloha-n-Paradise art and event gallery and espresso bar.
Her “Featured Artist of the Month” event is the most recent of many ways that Barr tries to spotlight art and give artists some attention.
This year, Barr has held a reception for one of the 14 local artists on display in her gallery on the first Saturday of each month.
Elaine Albertson, landscape photographer, was on hand last Saturday to converse with the public about what she calls veritae landscape photography.
“There are certain moments when you’re out in the wilderness that express a particular emotional impact,” Albertson said. “When I take the image, I’m trying to capture that same expression so people can get that from the image.”
Albertson refuses to manipulate colors and images.
“What you see on the canvas or on the print is what I saw when I took it,” she said. “The beauty to me of landscape photography is the lighting of the moment and the colors of the moment and all the circumstances that made it that way.”
Albertson explained that her signature piece, “Pihea Ridge Ferns”, was taken on the Alaka‘i Ridge at the intersection of Pihea Ridge trail after a rain at an elevation of 4,000 feet, where the air is thin.
“Colors in the jungle become intense after rain because of the change in light refraction because of the water,” Albertson said.
To get the “Waipo‘o Falls” shot, Albertson waited for three days for a nice clear day. The photograph was taken from across the canyon on the Black Pipe trail with a very long telephoto lens.
Albertson took the “Awa‘awapuhi” photograph while hanging in a climbing harness over the edge of the cliff.
“That’s how I get shots people don’t get normally,” Albertson said.
She has not been able to hike this past year due to a spinal cord problem but said she can’t wait to get her surgery done so she can get back to taking new shots.
Nick Castillo, a Waimea Valley native, provided the musical entertainment for the Saturday reception. Castillo has been performing music since his 1994 graduation from Waimea High School. In 2001 he was approached to participate in a “Sounds of Hawai‘i” CD by Orange Tree Productions, which eventually produced his solo album.
A second CD of his Hawaiian music mixed with “meditation trance sounds” is scheduled to be released next year.
Ten-year old Ryanne Caberto attended the reception to hear her Uncle Castillo sing. Caberto said when Castillo used to live at home, she would listen to him sing and play his ‘ukulele in his room.
Art and music aren’t the only things available at Aloha-n-Paradise. Barr is on a first-name basis with her customers, who come in to the espresso bar for their coffee and to use the computers in the Internet café.
Barr’s husband, Cliff Van Dyk, offers massages and does custom framing. He is a crystal collector and a reiki master. Events at the gallery include yoga and self-hypnosis workshops.
“We believe in networking,” Barr said. The couple have opened up an events board so community members can share programs and activities. They are also a Westside ticket outlet.
“We have to do (many things) to survive,” Barr said. “We have come up with our niche so we can live on this beautiful island of ours.”
Barr said they now have the time, energy and resources to do more community projects, and they will re-start the Concert in the Park next year and get involved in the Adopt-A-Highway program.
She is especially interested in understanding the history of J. Okada Store, the place they now occupy, through the stories that community members share.
The gallery art concentrates on Westside scenery and features local artists Blaine Michioka, Glenn Ichimura, Sheree Latif, Grace Hodgson, Emily Miller, Terri Scarborough, Annabel Spielman, Helen Turner, Jack Murray, Tom Maule and A. Halldin-Maule, Marionnette, Kathleen Adair Brown, Dawn Lundquist and Albertson.
Next month portrait artist Grace Hodgson will be featured.
• Cynthia Matsuoka is a freelance writer for The Garden Island and former principal of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. She can be reached at aharju@kauaipubco.com.
