Talent search open till July 16
Kani Ka Pila Grille at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki is accepting entries for its annual talent search, with the finals to be held at the Made in Hawaii Festival, Aug. 17 in the Blaisdell Center’s Pikake Room.
Entries — either a DVD or online link to a performance — will be accepted through July 16. They must include the artist or group name, a publicity photograph, contact person, email address and phone number. Entries should be mailed to Luana Maitland, Kani Ka Pila Grille, care of Outrigger Reef on the Beach, 2169 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815; or emailed to luana.maitland@outrigger.com.
The winner will receive a monthlong contract to perform at the Kani Ka Pila Grille and studio time at Honolulu Community College’s Mike Curb MELE (Music & Entertainment Learning Experience) Studios. The top five finalists will be announced July 26.
For information go to www.outrigger.com/kkpgtalentsearch.
Last year’s winner, Kamakakehau Fernandez of Maui, went on to win a Na Hoku Hanohano award this year for "Wahi Mahalo."
Skateboard merch debuts in Waikiki
Local artist Heather Brown has made a name for herself with her strongly delineated paintings and prints of the nature and landscape surrounding the North Shore home she shares with her husband, Chris Viverito.
Viverito recently started a new business venture called Hawaii Skateboard Co. Working out of their Pupukea studio, Brown said that since "Chris manages my art business, and since we’ve always worked together, it was only natural that I would help with this new company of his."
The couple, both 40, will be debuting Hawaii Skateboard Co. merchandise — both decks and handmade skateboards, as well as T-shirts and caps — from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Greenroom Hawaii gallery in Waikiki.
"He designs all of the skateboard decks," Brown said. "Some are etched by laser that are similar to my style of art, and others mix in different colors of wood with inlays of fiberglass resin."
The company tries to use reclaimed wood when it can, although the bulk of the skateboard decks are made with oak or laminated plywood.
Decks start at $50 and assembled skateboards at $150.
Saturday’s gallery showing is at a familiar venue for Brown.
"I’ve had art there since it opened. The same owners run my galleries in Tokyo and Osaka," she said.
"Before the company’s official launch, we found out that the skateboards sold well there in Japan. That was the confirmation we needed to do this product and create Hawaii Skateboard Co. two months ago."
Greenroom Hawaii is at 2350 Kalakaua Ave. No. A6. For more information, visit hawaiiskateboardcompany.com.
