Gallery ‘Iolani shows off two emerging arts programs

In a serendipitous convergence, works from two disciplines, Hawaiian woodcarving and European atelier drawing and painting, are sharing space at Windward Community College’s Gallery ‘Iolani in an exhibition titled “2X2.”

Colorful oil paintings, black-and-white charcoal figure drawings and white cast paintings by William Zwick and his students are juxtaposed with wood pieces made by Jordan Souza and his students with traditional carving methods and cutting tools.

“These are two wonderful classical techniques, established in the Western and Hawaiian traditions for centuries,” said gallery director Toni Martin. “I think we can learn from these two philosophies, and I appreciate that we had this chance to bring it up for students to understand.”

Atelier is a technique of realist, or old-master, drawing and painting developed in the European Renaissance that reached its zenith in the 16th century and was repopularized during the mid-19th century. Zwick studied atelier for three years at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy after receiving his BFA from California’s Laguna College of Art. He’s been teaching atelier out of his studio in downtown for the past three years, and started teaching at Windward Community College this year. In his classes, students work on cast drawings, figure drawings and color mixing, listen to lectures and demos, and get one-on-one critiques from Zwick.

“With atelier, you train yourself to see the world better,” said Zwick. “There is a logic to it, a systematic approach to painting. It’s not a ‘fuzzy science.’” In an optical measuring technique called sight-size, he explained, the artists take measurements of lines, arrange values and break down what they see into forms so that they can be as accurate as possible with their drawings.

Zwick used sight-size with “Maile,” a beautiful, vivid portrait of a local girl. He painted her at his studio, using oils on linen and a color palette of red, white, cobalt blue, vermillion and much more. “Maile was a great model, she was set up right next to my canvas. I especially liked painting the dark shades of her hair, isolating her face from the background and playing with warm tones in her skin.”

Included in the exhibition are a lifelike portrait of a small bird and a still life with cheese by Zwick, as well as student work such as “Woman Long Pose,” a nude figure drawn from life in charcoal by Sonia Limberis.

The middle of the showroom is dominated by three graceful, 10-foot holua sleds made by Souza and his students Peleke Sacatropez and William Cook. The sleds are made out of ipe wood, also known as Brazilian walnut, one of the hardest woods in the world. Other materials include the pu shell, ohe or bamboo and coconut lashing. The work is intricate and detailed. Souza said that it took him about a week to shape the wood and about 40 hours to complete the lashing.

“Sledding is deeply embedded in our culture, and starting to have underground popularity,” said Souza, who holds a BFA in sculpture from UH-Manoa, has held an artist residency in Aotearoa and done work commissioned by Disney Aulani Hotel. “There are only a few people who know how to make holua. I spent whatever free time I had with Solomon Apio, who has been doing work for Bishop Museum, learning how to do sleds and other things such as Hawaiian carvings, lashings and crafts before teaching my students.”

Also displayed is a pahu drum made out of coconut wood, which Souza made for his daughter, a poi board and pounder by Sacatropez and a ceremonial awa bowl carved by Michael Hinebaugh.

A slew of traditional tools hang on the wall, among them the niho oki, a Hawaiian utility knife made out of alaa wood and tiger shark teeth; the shark-toothed club leiomano; and the stone poi pounder, pohaku kuiai.

Souza said he began the woodworking class because he saw a need for a place where students could learn traditional Hawaiian wood carving techniques. “It just always felt like something that was a secret. Where would we go out and learn and make these things? If you wanted to learn carving, you had to seek out someone, come around their house and eventually they’ll teach you things. And I thought there needed to be a place to learn indigenous crafts,” he said. “The program took a little while to get going, but once it got going, it really snowballed, and now there are 15 to 20 students.”

The exhibit “2X2” is worth the drive. It’s a rare opportunity to witness a living revival of two classical art techniques in a place where East and West creatively meet.