Featured Cover Artist: Randy Dahl

This issue, we feature the work of Randy Dahl, a professional artist who has been living in Hawai‘i for the past 14 years.

Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Randy moved to Hawai‘i Island to further his education as an artist.

“It was a life changing decision; it just felt right. I instantly fell in love with the people, culture, and creation you can only find here,” he says.

Since then, he’s found an endless flow of creative inspiration from both the people and the land.

“Depending on the work, the process can vary, but it usually begins by quieting myself to hear or see what the Creator is doing in the land or its people and responding to that. This brings a depth and meaning to a piece that is unique both to the individual and the subject,” he says.

The image on our cover features his “Mana” painting. He says the piece took eight years to complete. It all began when he was driving his truck on the highway near Kua Bay.

“I felt the strong presence of the Creator come over my whole truck as he gave me an open eye vision of this image with the islands in the face looking right at me. Then he said, ‘go up Mana Road in the sunrise and the horse will be there.’ ”

Randy says he had never heard of Mana Road before, and later that night called a photographer to head up to Mauna Kea with him. The next day, they followed Mana Road until they entered right into the middle of a herd of horses. They started to take pictures and the leader of the pack was interacting with the camera. The painting reflects that divinely inspired moment.

“It represents reconciliation between people and the Creator, which returns the land to righteousness. The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness; as a people we must understand what makes one righteous,” he says.

Randy says it’s projects like this one that keep him motivated as an artist. He’s always been an artist at heart, yet it wasn’t until he was a teenager that he realized that he could make a living from it.

“I can remember this specific moment, when I was 16, I had finished my first painting in eight hours and people thought it was a photograph. It was a surreal experience because suddenly this gift was staring right at me. You could say it was a defining moment when I realized I could do this on a professional level,” he says.

A few years later, he sold his very first piece.

“It’s a humbling discovery when you achieve things beyond what you expect. This inspired me to step out even more the next time,” he says.

Now he works out of his home, where he can perfect his craft on a personal level. That’s one of the areas where he gets true inspiration.

“I come to life when I can personally meet the client, listen to their desires, and serve their vision or needs with my abilities. There’s something about the feeling of home that creates the atmosphere that helps open people up to express themselves in ways you don’t get in a more industrial or commercial environment,” he says.

Most importantly, Randy says it’s the “evidence of spiritual truth found in nature” that has always inspired him.

View Randy’s work