 This ain't the Mainland! My first Fearless Abstract Painting party where some of the participants wore their bathing suits. What's not to love?! Our paintings took a long time to dry due to the high humidity levels, but at the end of the night (and an amazing meal), we enjoyed an "art walk" featuring our works, using our phones as flashlights.  Painting on Maui is an incredible experience. I am grateful for every moment I get to do what I love in this stunning place. The humidity extends the drying time of my paints, enabling me to manipulate the colors and shapes for much longer than I am used to. When I am finally ready to step back and place my paintings in the sun, the Lahaina heat acts like a giant blow dryer, drying my paintings at record speeds. Everywhere I look, I am inspired by this tiny, impossible island, floating in the middle of the Pacific, brimming full of the kind of beauty I always knew existed, but never experienced until now.  Early this morning, I went outside to continue cleaning up the debris left by the hurricane: palm frowns, papaya leaves, broken branches, shingles, oranges, papayas, and avocados strewn all over the yard.  When my husband and I honeymooned on Maui nearly 2-years ago, we found this gem of a store in the quaint, little beach town of Paia, Hawaii. I have been imagining my paintings on display here ever since. For me, it doesn't get any better than this complimentary duo: Beautiful paintings & beautiful clothing. A heartfelt thank you to Sun Days Hawaii for supporting local artists in the community. I am both thrilled and honoured to be part of your talented roster of creatives.  Thank you for joining us! A huge, heartfelt Thank You to our friends, family and collectors who attended last night's opening reception. A special thanks to Art Project Paia for providing this incredible opportunity for local artists to showcase our work. At one point during the evening, I stopped to take it all in: The spacious, contemporary venue, the live music, the lights, the movement, the delicious food, the crowd, and my painting hanging on the wall. "This is really happening!" At that moment, I felt my body fill with immense feeling of joy and gratitude. This is what it feels like when we make our dreams a reality.  Thank you Maui for welcoming us with open arms & with open hearts. Pacific Home became my newest distributer, and I couldn't be happier! I am thrilled and honored to work with the best in my community.  A great time & a great cause! In support of local art & art education in my community, I have donated one of my paintings to be auctioned during Maui Art & Cultural Center's signature gala. I believe Oprah captured my sentiments best when she said: "In order to move forward, we have to give back."   As I looked back on my 2-years on the Big Island of Hawai'i, I could not help to feel a sense of regret, displacement, and loss as a result of the Kilauea eruptions that forced us to evacuate our home. Healing takes time. Healing takes family. Sometimes, healing takes distance. The following is an account of the transition that took place inside of me, as I replaced negative feelings with acceptance, understanding and love.  Life is interesting. Although I knew that we were moving to an island with 5 active volcanoes, I honestly did not think that we would experience a volcanic eruption of this magnitude in our lifetime. Wishful thinking? Naïve? Both? The reality is that Kilauea volcano did erupt, and the course of our lives has been changed forever. |