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 are not your up-and-coming young talents; these are Hawai‘i Island’s masters,” Aurora says. David Reisland, Gregg Smith, Mats Fogelvik, and Cliff Johns are good examples.

Barry Williamson’s furniture sells well. He has an artistic background, including stained glass and leatherwork before getting into construction and then furniture. Almost all the wood artists spent years in construction or cabinetmaking and graduated to furniture and art pieces. David Reisland is aligned with the studio furniture movement, which straddles the world of fine art and the world of furniture. Any one of these artists is capable of astonishing works of art. They are champions.

Aurora took over the gallery from Cliff Johns in 2013, keeping the name unchanged because of the consortium of master wood artists Cliff had put together and the reputation of the gallery. A lifetime artist herself, she knew some of them since she moved here in 1997 and sold their work for years in the high-end galleries that represented them as well as her.

Other wood artists with work on display are Don Albrecht, Alex Franceschini, Kelly Dunn, Elmer Adams, John Mydock, Gerrit VanNess, Tim and Tiffany DeEtte Shafto, Doni Reisland, and Karen and Mark Stebbins.

Aurora also features her own fine art, plus other visual artists: Lisa Bunge, Diane Tunnell, Bonnie Sol, Mark Martel, Joseph Ster, Esther Szegedy, Betty Gerstner, George Aldrete, Vicki Rohner, and William Wingert.

Much of their foot traffic comes from their neighbors Annie’s Burgers and Gypsea Gelato. “I’ve put impressive things up in front—large blown glass sculptures by Daniel Moe on a lit pedestal by the front door, and opposite that, the fantastic beaded jewelry by Mary Darwall. It’s fun to watch the reaction people have as they catch sight of the huge turned wood vessels against the wall.” Aurora says that turned wood vessels of that size are rare and that passersby become “transfixed.” Aurora also finds joy in seeing their reaction to a Mats Fogelvik table with “perfect inlay.”

She describes the encounter she has witnessed so many times. “They run their hands over the silky finish, examining the perfection of the joinery, and at this point they are beginning to realize this is not an ordinary gallery. The deeper they go, the more the wood art amazes them.”

Aurora is transfixed herself by the interactions she observes, even after all these years. “I never get tired of witnessing [them] because I am so proud of these extraordinary artists. At least three or four times a day I hear, ‘this is the most beautiful gallery on the island.’ Of course they are talking about the quality of the art.”

Cliff Johns Gallery
808.322.0044
CliffJohnsGallery.com
Monday–Saturday, 11am–8pm
79-7460 Mamalahoa Hwy, #104, Kealakekua