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.’ ”

These bowls are historically seen in museums around the world, from Brooklyn Museum in New York to Bishop Museum in Hawai‘i. Now, thanks to the crew at Ipu Arts Plus, visitors and islanders alike can experience these ancient artifacts in a new and modern form.

The store, named after the Hawaiian ipu—an instrument used in hula dancing—is also an art gallery located in Hōlualoa on Hawai‘i Island’s west side.

At the gallery, they use coffee as a primary dye for the gourds that the owners grow at Blue Rock Farm. Other natural dyes are used to color their designs from the inside out.

Karen has more than 20 years of experience as a professional baker and 13 years farming coffee, cacao, and macadamia nuts.Her gallery partner, Dave Johnson, has a background in interior design, fine wood crafting, furniture, and building.

Karen says the journey that led these two friends in the opening of the gallery started with a man named Michael Harburg, owner of Ipu Kane in Hawi, which was formerly located in Ipu Arts Plus location.

“He stopped by Blue Rock Farm one day to look at gourds that we had growing around our gardens. I gave him several lovely huge specimens, and he offered to let me sit in on his next carving class. I declined, citing that I had coffee, mac nuts and cacao to be tended and harvested on my farm,” Karen explains. “He gently insisted by saying he would mentor me privately. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Several years later, Karen says she connected with Dave and taught him how to carve and dye. They later opened up the gallery in a 120-year-old building.

Now, Dave and Karen are busy perpetuating the ancient Hawaiian art form and “embracing artists island wide.”

“The art we practice is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands only,” Karen says.

The store first opened in 2014. They also feature hand carved koa, ‘ulu, avocado, and coffee wood items. The products are sold exclusively at the gallery.

Ipu Arts Plus
76-5893 Mamalahoa Hwy, Hōlualoa
Tues–Sat, 11am–4pm
808.464.5807, email