Kawena Pukui V

The Final Steps

Completion of the portrait of Mary Kawena Pukui involved small additions such as the detail on her shirt, shadows on the beads around her neck....

....an earring inspired by a musical note (After all, Kawena wrote over 150 Hawaiian songs).....

..... the hibiscus' stamen and pistol with corresponding shadows.....

Mary Kawena Pukui.  Hawaiian Treasure, Musician, Scholar, Writer, Teacher, Dancer, descendent from a Kahuna Pule (Priestess) in the Pele line.  It has been a pleasure and an honor to spend time with Kawena and I have The Perpetual You magazine to thank for the commission and introduction to this amazing woman.

To contact me click HERE

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Kawena Pukui IV

Painting the Portrait of Kawena Pukui

Adding facial tones and Kawena's hair.

Background color painted on.

Work on Kawena's portrait continues with additions inspired by the ocean surrounding the Hawaiian Islands and the tropical flora.  This painting, commissioned by The Perpetual You magazine for an upcoming issue is very close to completion. Mary Kawena Pukui, a Hawaiian Treasure, magnificent woman, who was a scholar, historian, writer, dancer, teacher is an inspiration.  It is an honor to bring her to life on paper.

To contact me click HERE

To visit my web site click HERE

Kawena Pukui III

More Island Music floats through my studio.

And work on the commissioned portrait of Mary Kawena Pukui continues.  Today you will see the addition of the Hawaiian state flower, the Yellow Hibiscus.

Because she was frequently photographed with a flower in her hair, I have chosen to include not only one, but two of the state's flowers in this painting.

I have also deepened some of the facial shadows and color on her lips to relate to the intense magenta found in the center of the flower.

This wonderful woman, a Hawaiian Treasure, came into my life when I was commissioned by the magazine The Perpetual You to create her portrait for an upcoming issue that deals with legacy.  Mary Kawena Pukui left a legacy steeped in Hawaiiana through her teaching, writing and musical talents.  

Painting continues, bringing this portrait to completion.

Check back to watch the progress.

To contact me click HERE

To visit my web site click HERE

Kawena Pukui II

Hawaiian Music Is Floating Through My Studio

Images of Mary Kawena Pukui fill my head and are scattered over my work table along with hibiscus blossoms.

Hawaiian music fills the air to set the mood for my current commission.  Trays of water color paints come out of the drawers and work begins.  I have chosen watercolor as the medium for this portrait because of the tropical Pacific that surrounds the islands where Pukui lived. 

I have also decided to present this woman with the state flower of Hawaii, the Yellow Hibiscus.

Sketching in the composition.

Laying on pigment

Mary Kawena Pukui begins to come to life.  More to do, so check back to watch the progress on this portrait commissioned by the magazine, The Perpetual You.  And if you stop by, I am serving tropical beverages.

To contact me click HERE

To visit my web site click HERE

Second Project of 2018

Mary Abigail Kawena Pukui

Recently I was contacted by the editor of the magazine, The Perpetual You to create a portrait for what they call their 'Maker's Page'. Apparently the editor had found my web page and thought my portraits fit with what they have going on.  The Maker's Page highlights an historical woman who blends with the theme of the issue. My portrait would be of Mary Abigail Kawena Pukui. I was immediately interested!

Mary Abigail Kawena Pukui

What a woman!!!!  Pukui, named during her lifetime as a Living Treasure of Hawaii, and inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, was descended from a Kahuna Pule (Priestess) in the Pele line.  Legacy is part of this particular issue's theme, and what a fabulous legacy this woman created. 

Her list of accomplishments is huge.  Fluent in the Hawaiian language and culture she:

+ Collected and translated folk tales, proverbs, sayings.

+ Worked as an ethnological assistant and translator.

+ Taught Hawaiian to scholars, and Hawaiiana at Punahou School.

+ Published ore than 50 scholarly works.

+ Wrote more than 150 Hawaiian songs.

+ Co-author of the definitive Hawaiian/English dictionary, and the books Place Names of Hawaii & The Echo of Our Song.

+ Chanter and hula expert.

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Pukui was born in 1895 and lived until 1986.  Not only was she a fastinating, beautiful, intelligent, strong woman, but she correlates to the women I paint who wove spectacular baskets.  To be commissioned to paint a portrait of this scholar, dancer, composer, educator is an honor, my next project, and one I am very excited about.

To contact me click HERE

To visit my web site click HERE