Watercolor greeting card workshop slated April 13
Watercolor greeting card workshop slated April 13
Marilyn Koschella is teaching a watercolor greeting card workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. April 13 at Blue Sea Artisans. The fee is $30. Watercolor paper will be provided; students must bring watercolor paints and brushes.
Koschella is a Kailua-Kona resident and member of Kona Art Center, Arts of Kona, Kailua Village Artists and Blue Sea Artisans. She has been painting regularly since 1996.
Blue Sea Artisans is located in Kona International Market on Luhia Street in Kailua-Kona.
For more information or the register for the workshop, call Blue Sea Artisans at 329-8000 or email marilynk.artist@gmail.com.
Frierson, Panek named winners of Cades awards for Literature
Two Big Island writers have been named 2012 winners of the annual Elliott Cades awards for Literature, the most prestigious literary honor for writers in Hawaii.
The winner in the established author category is Pamela Frierson, whose latest book is “The Last Atoll: Exploring Hawaii’s Endangered Ecosystems.” Judges said the book is a well-documented personal account that tells the story of the author’s experiences studying the fragile environment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, now a national monument.
Frierson is also the author of “The Burning Island: A Journey through Myth and History in Volcano Country, Hawaii” and many articles and essays. She lives on the slopes of Mauna Kea, working as a freelance writer, photographer and educator.
The winner in the emerging artist category is Mark Panek, author of “Big Happiness: The Life and Death of a Modern Hawaiian Warrior” and “Gaijin Yokozun: A Biography of Chad Rowan.”
Panek is an associate professor of English at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Both writers will receive their awards at the Hawaii Book and Music Festival in May in Honolulu.
Johnson to lead pastels workshop
Patti Pease Johnson will lead a springtime pastels painting class from 1 to 4:30 p.m. April 13 at the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
Students will learn about different types of pastels and papers, how to properly fix and mount paper on backing, and tips and tricks specific to working with pastels.
Hands-on practice will begin by working on newsprint to get the flow of arm movement and keep loose. The focus will shift to creating shapes and then move into color play on pastel paper. Students will be challenged to be daring with color, explore the rich contrast of lights and darks, and to express their inner creativity on a two-dimensional surface.
Students will complete a project to take home; all skill levels are invited. Tuition is $65; $58 for center members — plus a $10 supply fee. Class size is limited; advance registration is required. For more information, visit volcanoartcenter.org. To register, call 967-8222 or email julie@volcanoartcenter.org.
This program is supported in part by the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the state Legislature or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Final meeting for artists network project slated May 15
In July, Volcano Art Center, with partial funding from Hawaii County, began documenting the economic impact of visual artists through the Hawaii Island Network of Artists project. Through this survey, which also looks at artists’ social impact, VAC has learned about the needs of creative entrepreneurs, as well as their contributions to the island.
“There is so much talent on this island, and with 195 surveys received so far, we know we’ve just scratched the surface,” said center CEO Tanya Aynessazian. “Our local artists are an unrecognized creative workforce, because so many artists work independently, we need the public’s help in spreading the word about this project.”
“It’s been fascinating to meet so many artists through our community meetings and to see the results of our survey coming together,” said Tiffany DeEtte Shafto, network project manager. “There is an obvious graying of artists and makers, but the good news is that the majority of them are willing to teach. It’s also interesting that the overwhelming majority shop at farmers markets on a regular basis — keeping it local. And their top hobby? Gardening.”
Aynessazian and Shafto have hosted community meetings as a means of sharing the intent of this project and hearing from artists directly. The final meeting is slated at 5:30 p.m. May 15 at Volcano Art Center.
Visual artists may participate by taking a five-minute survey, online or by mail, before May 31. Artists with general excise tax licenses are given the opportunity to be included on a collective website: hinartists.org.
To learn more, visit the website or follow HINA on Facebook. For more in-depth information, contact Volcano Art Center at 967-8222 or info@HINArtists.org.