Island Treasures: Ipu Arts Plus
The artists and owners of Ipu Arts Plus are bringing back to life a once-lost Hawaiian art form called ‘umeke pāwehe. Co-owner of the gallery Karen Root says, “An ‘umeke is a bowl or container, and pāwehe means ‘from within.’ ”…
Island Treasures: Puna Kamali‘i Flowers
Vicki Nelson, co-founder of Puna Kamali‘i Flowers, Inc., started her business with her husband in 1998 after searching for employment for her son with developmental disabilities. After realizing there were limited jobs available for him, Vicki said she saw a…
Island Treasures: Glow Hawai‘i
It’s been more than 10 years since Ōlelo pa‘a Faith Ogawa, one of the most sought after private chefs in Hawai‘i, started Glow Hawai‘i. Known for her signature Glow Tea, this Glow Hawai‘i product first premiered at the Alice Moon…
Island Treasures: The Captain’s Paw Pantry
Sabine-Maeva Andresen’s business started in the fall of 2008 when her friend asked if she would bake a few dog treats for a no-kill sanctuary benefit event on Hawai‘i Island. Her husband, Torsten, had established a reputation as a hobby…
Island Treasures: Cliff Johns Gallery—Kealakekua
Aurora King, owner of Cliff Johns Gallery in Mango Court, Kealakekua, glows with pride when she describes the artists who have their work on display. “The thing to understand about these wood artists is their long and varied histories. These…
Island Treasures: Susun Gallery — Kailua-Kona
Susun Gallery is an acrylic painter, hula dancer, lover of the ocean, and all things Hawaiian. She opened Susun Gallery Artschool in Santa Cruz, California in 1987, after a career as a sign painter in the San Jose area, and…
Island Treasures: Isaacs Art Center — Kamuela
By Le‘a Gleason Isaacs Art Center has developed a reputation over the years as one of the most important collections of Hawaiian art in the state. It’s part of Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy (HPA) and operates on a mission to raise…
Island Treasures: Tai Lake Fine Woodworking — Holualoa
By Le‘a Gleason For the last 35 years, Tai Lake has been creating finely crafted wood pieces here on Hawai‘i Island. Part of what sets him apart from the many excellent woodworkers that work and reside in Hawai‘i is his…
Island Treasures: The Blue Sea Artisans Art Gallery—Kailua-Kona
By Anais Gude In May 2014, The Blue Sea Artisans Gallery finally became the true cooperative gallery of artists that Teresea Boswell had envisioned when she first opened the space in 2009. Featuring 17 different local artists, one may feel…
Island Treasures: True Hawaii Blue—Waimea
By Le‘a Gleason Jamie Hoskinson has always worn an apron. She grew up a farm girl in Mt. Hood, Oregon and wore her first apron as a child while making plum jam with Grandma. Later, she sold strawberries on the…
Island Treasures: South Kona Macadamia Nut Company—South Kona
By Aja Hannah Meris Farwell, a soft-spoken and petite woman, hand scoops a bag of Tamari-flavored macadamia nuts. Flavored with shoyu (soy sauce), the reddened nuts drop into 4oz and 8oz packages. Each package of South Kona Macadamia Nuts is…
Island Treasures: High Fire Hawaii Gallery & Studio—Hilo
By Le‘a Gleason Shannon Hickey was born and raised in Chicago and has lived in Hawaii 25 years. She holds a degree in Art from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and was deeply involved in ceramics and printmaking during…
Island Treasures: Luana Naturals—South Kona
Karen Kriebl received her Ph.D. from Ohio State University. She was a professor at OSU and Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and taught at the Out of Door Academy in Sarasota, Florida where she was known as “Doctor K.” In…
Island Treasures: Holualoa Ukulele Gallery/Workshop—Hōlualoa
Sam B. Rosen was a jeweler on the mainland from 1956–1977. After moving to Hawai‘i Island in 1977, he became a goldsmith. Sam wanted to learn to play the ‘ukulele, so he went to an Adult Education Extension Class at…
Island Treasures: High Fire Hawaii Gallery and Studio LLC – Hilo
High Fire Hawaii is a venue and resource for island artists offering instruction, materials, and representation in their gallery. It is dedicated exclusively to local art and local artists representing ceramicists, jewelers, painters, and textile artists. They offer classes for…
Island Treasures: Lavender Moon Gallery – Kainaliu
Long time Hawai‘i Island residents Patricia and Dux Missler opened Lavender Moon Gallery in December of 1999. The gallery is located in the quaint upcountry village of Kainaliu, just seven miles south of Kailua-Kona. It offers a unique collection of…
Island Treasures: Sassafras—Waimea, Kailua-Kona
Sara Hayashi “What we do is quickly becoming a lost art. It’s important to support the artists carrying on traditions and techniques of old.” Hand-sculpted jewelry from Sassafras are hand fabricated, one-of-a-kind pieces. These wearable works of art are made…
Island Treasures: Marcus Castaing
Marcus Castaing has been making fine furniture and doing architectural mill work for a living in the remote town of Wai‘ōhinu since moving there 34 years ago. “The source of my inspiration is the wonderful expressions of beauty and elegance…
Island Treasures: Hawaiian Dolls—Wood Valley
As a little girl in Germany, Sabine Hendreschke had about 30 dolls that all had a name and a “soul.” Her childhood was filled with fairy tales and magic. One of her most cherished toys was a coconut cradle that her parents…
Island Treasures: High Country Farm—Honoka‘a
By Sara Hayashi Protea flowers originate from the southern hemisphere, and their unusual shapes give them an otherworldly appearance. High Country Farm has 1.5 acres of these unique flowers on the Hamakua Coast. Shortly after she moved to Hawai‘i Island,…
Island Treasures: Garden Inspirations, Inc.—Kailua-Kona
Garden Inspirations creates cast stone outdoor décor—decorative and functional concrete pieces that include fountains, planters, furniture, and statues. Each piece is stained and finished so it performs well in our tropical environment as well as reflecting the design styles prevalent…
Island Treasures: Aloha Adirondack—Hilo
By Sara Hayashi James Sutherland likes to make “old fashioned things that are comfortable and make people smile,” and his simple, beautiful chairs do just that. Aloha Adirondack chairs are New England style chairs with a Hawaiian feel. James was…
Island Treasures: Kailua Village Artists Gallery—Kailua-Kona
The Kailua Village Artists Gallery, Inc. (KVA) is a cooperative organization that offers original art made by local artists from Hawai‘i Island. The gallery features an eclectic display of reasonably priced original artwork including paintings in acrylic, gouache, mixed media,…
Island Treasures: Fahrenheit 2400—Volcano
“There is something both dramatic and dynamic about the manipulation of a molten mass of glass, such that the process has almost as much appeal for me as does the product. Hot glass is a medium in constant motion, where…
Island Treasures: Living Arts Gallery, Hawi
By Lily Hoskinson-Weinstein Connie Firestone and Mary Sky Schoolcraft have been working side by side at the Living Arts Gallery since its inception in 2009 with the motto, “Take Heart, Make ART.” Connie’s series of Guardians studio paintings are sleek,…
Island Treasures: Simple Elegance Gems, Kailua-Kona
By Lily Hoskinson-Weinstein When you buy something made with passion and love, you can feel it. Wendy Greenfield has been collecting stones all her life, and when she moved to Hawai‘i Island five years ago, she expanded her creative outlet…
Island Treasures: Martin & MacArthur
Martin & MacArthur has been making fine furniture longer than any individual or company in the history of Hawai‘i. They are the fine furniture maker of ‘Iolani Palace and fine Hawai‘i resorts such as the Royal Hawaiian, the Moana Surfrider,…
Island Treasures: Blue Ginger Gallery
Till Ami Meyers brought her silk art to Hawai‘i in 1985. Today she creates one-of-a-kind paintings in all medias and still designs and merchandises for other artists. Her interest in art began at an early age when her mother introduced…
Island Treasures: Hawaiian Macadamia Granola
Barbara Andersen, owner of the Shipman House Bed and Breakfast, developed her own special recipe for island-style granola to serve her guests at the breakfast buffet—something that reflects Hawai`i Island. “I started tweaking recipes, adding and subtracting ingredients, until I…
Island Treasures: Pele’s Glass Creations
Glass artisan Dave Karl, who lives close to actual lava flows in Puna, wanted to create the beauty of the lava eruptions. With Pele as his inspiration, he developed a special way of playing with glass to replicate lava explosions.…
