Featured Cover Artist: Alaina deHavilland
Born in South Africa, Alaina deHavilland moved to Hawai‘i on Jan 3, 1983, the day Kīlauea began what is now a 31-year continuous eruption.
Her first images sold the day she made them. “I took a colored pencil class for an afternoon and completed two flowers—Bird of Paradise and Crab Claw Heleconia—and they are still selling.”
Alaina has been most influenced by William Bouguereau, for the sheer beauty of his paintings, his extraordinarily realistic skin tones, and his ability to capture the soul and spirit of his subject matter.
For a portrait or figurative piece, Alaina likes to spend time with the client or model, photographing in different light, poses, or outfits.
“After choosing the pose, I work with photos and composition until it ‘feels’ right. With the clients final approval, I get to work. Initially I block in the pose working in the grisaille method, that is, doing a full monochromatic painting, working out all the details. Then I like to have the person come back for a session so I can work from life to get the skin tones correct.”
Doing still life, floras, endemic, and endangered wildlife, she works much the same way. (Except the wild animals or marine life don’t come to the studio to sit for a pose).
“It takes a really, really long time from concept to composing to executing any of my pieces. Every wrinkle, dimple, eyelash, fold, color, crease and shadow is studied before paint goes to canvas.”
Her oil paintings are on either canvas or exotic Hawaiian Koa wood. She has just started experimenting with pastel, after being inspired during a workshop with our wonderful Hawai‘i Island artist, Kathy Long.
“Occasionally, inspiration is a subtle thing that creeps up, then manifests fully formed into a visual. Other times something just bonks you over the head with its obviousness. Screaming ‘paint me, paint me!’ Who knows—if we knew the formula to inspiration, we’d all be ‘rock stars’ in our chosen field!”
Alainaʻs studio is a few steps away from she and her husbandʻs farmhouse. It was originally built as an ‘ohana for their boys and granddaughter when they visit from O‘ahu or the mainland. Sheʻs gradually taken over the space, and now visiting family and friends are squeezed in the cracks and corners.
Her stunning ocean view stretches from the Hokulia point to Kailua Village and looks down over Kahalu‘u Beach.
When she’s not creating art, Alaina enjoys snorkeling, scuba, sailing on their sailboat, hiking, or entertaining friends and family. ❖
Contact Alaina deHavilland: alainaartist@gmail.com, 808.895.4032
