Artis was people’s artist

You may not think you know Ron Artis. But if you live on Oahu, you do.

Artis, who died unexpectedly on Wednesday at age 61, leaves behind hundreds of murals in public places. They were expressions of his many enthusiasms, which seemed to include everything that surrounds us, especially Hawaii’s natural beauty and ocean life.

True, some have complained about the quality of Artis’ work. But perhaps he was channeling his inner Paul Cezanne, who reportedly once said: "Don’t be an art critic, but paint, there lies salvation."

The big race returns

And they’re off!

Activities for the annual Honolulu Marathon have officially opened, so now is the time to check out the Marathon Expo at the Hawaii Convention Center before the big race on Sunday.

Some 22,000 runners — about 13,000 from Japan — are registered for this year’s 26-mile race, which starts at 5 a.m. at Ala Moana Beach Park and courses through downtown, Waikiki and Kahala before ending at Kapiolani Park.

The event’s popularity remains strong since it began some 38 years ago; a survey showed last year’s race brought more than $100 million into Hawaii’s economy.

Another sign of continued optimism: The marathon’s website already posts the event’s future dates: Dec. 11, 2011; Dec. 9, 2012; and Dec. 8, 2013.