Beauty of islands shines in art show

So, is there beauty in the hau?

All across Hawaii, you can find hau trees. But do you ever really see them? Do you truly behold their beauty and complexity?

Kauai artist Robert Lober owns his obsession with the legendary tree. His painting, "Hau Malamalama," created in charcoal, acrylic and pencil on panel, is one of works that reflect the glory of nature, a common theme in "Art Kauai 2014," a presentation of the Kauai Society of Artists. Lober was presented the North Shore Pharmacy award for the work.

The artist waxes poetic as he describes the feelings his favorite tree invokes.

"Walk through this hau thicket. Smell the fecund air and feel the cool air blowing up from the stream below. Hear the water spilling over the rocks. The sun sparkles through tangled limbs. The leaves shimmer in an iridescent dance."

"Cutting Cane, April 6, 1936," an acrylic on canvas, is one of the show’s most powerful pieces. Painter Alfred Gray, who took inspiration from a photograph of a laborer at the Hanamaulu Mill in Lihue, gives the viewer an unmistakable understanding of what it feels like to toil in the heat on a Hawaii plantation. Gray won the top honor of the show, the Kauai Society of Artists award.

Then there’s "Sugar Free," a pastel on paper by Helen Turner that depicts a dilapidated building ready for collapse. Turner was given the Art Kauai 2014 K.I.U.C. award for her piece.

The artist finds beauty in secluded landscapes and subjects that tell a story of old Kauai.

"This particular pastel was just about the beauty of old age, decay, and how gracefully this once thriving mill is falling apart," she said. "The title is a play on the nature of decay, as we were brought up to believe ‘sugar free’ meant no more rotting teeth."

Rich Richardson served as juror for the show. He is executive director of Hawaii Academy of Performing Arts, The ARTS at Marks Garage, founder of the Chinatown Artists Lofts in Honolulu and co-founder of First Friday Honolulu.

Fifty-five Kauai artists submitted a total of 103 2-D and 3-D pieces. Richardson selected 63 pieces by 44 artists.

Richardson, an artist himself, was impressed by the quality of work submitted and enjoyed the jurying process.

"The works show the beauty of (the artists’) inner and outer surroundings and reflect a deep reverence for the Hawaiian culture and the land," he said. "In the process of selection, the subject matter of the work often took precedence over the skill of the artist. Some pieces relied on skill while others offered more insight as to what the artist was communicating."

Richardson is the father of a 2-year-old daughter, and he said they take a walk in nature every day. He said viewing Lober’s "Hau Malamalama" helped him see hau trees with new eyes.

"Some of the pieces made me look at the world differently. So much nature to behold. It’s refreshing."

Richardson calls Kauai a "hot spot of creative activity" and believes there could be a groundswell of interest and support that could lead to the island developing an artist’s center similar to The ARTS at Marks.

"‘Art Kauai’ is a news report to the world of the state of the Pacific (relatively) untrammeled. We need the news from Kauai," he said. "Thank you to our artists who act as our reporters. This exhibit can be seen as a visual diagram of the status of things in our remote archipelago."

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For more information about Rich Richardson and The Arts at Marks Garage, visit artsatmarks.com.