Kaua‘i craftsmen head to state juried exhibition

LIHU‘E — Sixteen Kaua‘i residents were invited to submit work to the Hawai‘i Craftsmen’s 45th Statewide Juried Exhibition.

The annual juried exhibit is held at the Honolulu Museum of Art School Galley through Sept. 30.

The exhibition is juried by Jo Lauria, an independent art and design historian and curator.

She visited each island to select works for the statewide event and to present awards for outstanding art work.

The Kaua‘i competition was held Aug. 23 at Gallerie 103 at the Shops at Kukui‘ula. The event is chaired by Abi Good, and coordinated by Kat Cowan of Alley Kat Art in Kapa‘a.

Cowan said there is a diverse group of artists that participate in Hawai‘i Craftsmen. They use metal, ceramic, paper, fabric, plastic, wood, glass, along with natural materials. Other projects use reclaimed and post production objects and materials.

“Kaua‘i artists together are able to create a unique body of art that hold a sense of place, like other Hawai‘i artists,” Cowan said. “Their skills, artwork and subject matter reflect current issues, our natural environment, trends, classical techniques and a way of using materials that are functional and non functional and uniquely Hawaiian.”

Kaua‘i craftsman selected to present work in the state exhibition include Princeville residents Abigail Schultz, Ayumi W. Ditamore and Roberta Griffith; Kalaheo residents Chris Atkinson, Donna Friedman and Rhonda Ballard; Kilauea residents Concetta Williams, Kirsten Jackson, Lia M. Ingram and Licia McDonald; and Kapa‘a residents Jennifer Hill, Joan F. Luzney, Kathy McClelland Cowan, Renee Parker Johnston, R. Eve Solomon and Wayne Miata.

Friedman’s work illustrates seed shape forms in the shape of butterflies. The technique involves lost wax casting in bronze. It comes out with a green patina finish and placed on a custom base.

Three artists were fortunate to be invited artists outside of the juried events. They were asked in advance to showcase new or old work in their respective mediums.

A. Kimberlin Blackburn is a Kaua‘i artist who was invited to show her mixed media works.

Other island special exhibitors include Charlene Hughes, fiber and quilting, and Donna Shimazu with her jewelry and metals.

“I had enough time to get four pieces done in time to be part of show,” Blackburn said. “It’s an honor to be asked as opposed to be juried in.”

Three of the new pieces are mixed medium, bead sculpture, paint and wood.

One piece, “The Sweet Life: Mt. Nounou’s Neighborhood,” depicts her husband tending to his bees under the gaze of Sleeping Giant. Blackburn was pleased with the design instillation by Keiko Hatana, who placed all four pieces together.

“For me that is a great honor,” she said.

The juror, Lauria, was very inclusive and invited quite a variety of work from the neighbor islands, Blackburn said.

“This juror was very impressed with what she saw and that is a huge compliment coming from someone of her stature,” she added.

Blackburn said the exhibition is special in that it is brought about by volunteers of a nonprofit organization. She said it is a chance to meet with like-minded artists and craftspeople of other islands that would not otherwise meet.

People are taking time to make the items, while others traveled to O‘ahu to unpack and put together the installations, “with kindness and generosity,” she said.

“We have a huge cross range of media, whether it is partially functional or purely sculptural, and some pieces were made from recycled materials,” she said. “It’s great to see what other people are doing around the state.”

Another juried show run by the Honolulu museum will soon allow free juried process with online entries. This is rare, Blackburn said.

“It is unusual and wonderful and they will post the information soon,” she said. “The long lead time will allow the curator to look at everybody’s work.”

For more information visit www.hawaiicraftsmen.org.