Step into the hive this Saturday and be prepared for a swarm of visual delight: a collection of sculpture and textiles honoring the bee colony. "H.I.V.E. Honey Involves Venomous Entities," an exhibition of work by Haiku resident Esmeralda Padilla, will open with a reception at 7 p.m. at Paia Tattoo Parlor Gallery, one of Maui's up-and-coming art hot spots.
Padilla's body of work is inspired by cohabitation with bees and the urge to explore how they live, their anatomy and the challenges they face. Integrating the history of bees and quilting in Hawaii, both arriving in the islands in the late 1800s, Padilla examines how they have adapted to play an important role in Hawaiian culture, ecosystem, agriculture and how each has a strong dependence on a female work force, according to a gallery release. Through the utilization of sewing and quilting, a medium long considered women's craft with a history of community building, the matriarchal society is represented.
Padilla is a San Francisco native whose art practice is based in sculpture, puppetry, textiles and animation.
Article Photos
Willow B. Norris’ “Butterfly Dream VII (Kwan Yin)”
Paia Tattoo Parlor is located upstairs at 120 Hana Highway. For details, visit paiatattooparlor. com or call 579-8515.
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Embark on a journey of enchantment with Maui artist Willow B. Norris. Her paintings, inspired by themes of reflection and inner piece, span whimsical and spiritual subjects. As the featured artist at Maui Hands in Paia, 84 Hana Highway, Norris will appear at the gallery from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays this month.
Drawing from her experience with aquatinting, scraping and burnishing, and incorporating the use of fine pigmented wax, Norris' creations have their roots in drawing. Norris, whose love for drawing can be traced to a young age, renders a detailed illustration on high-quality archival watercolor paper. She then applies a variety of water-soluble lightfast pigments with sable-hair watercolor brushes. The process requires a slow buildup of up to 20 washes, achieving the bold, rich color evident in her pieces.
Since moving to Maui, she has been developing her Dragonfly Dream and Butterfly Dream series, which is now on display at Maui Hands galleries in Paia and Lahaina. For details, visit maui hands.com.
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Participate in the weaving of community and culture with Mavis Muller, public art facilitator and sculptor, at the Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center. Muller, who has 30 years of experience as a contemporary basket maker, is working with the public to build a 10-foot outdoor woven basket sculpture with natural materials. The daily creation, from 11 to 5 p.m. through Saturday, allows people free participation and no time commitments. The woven sculpture will be unveiled with a reception from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Muller will also offer a free presentation, "Public Art as a Healing Force," at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Hui. The sculpture will be transported to Camp Keanae for the fourth annual Source Interactive Art Festival from Feb. 18 to 21. It will "meet its fiery conclusion as part of the events closing the ceremony" on Feb. 20. For details on the events, visit mavismullerart.com or huinoeau.com.
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Already drawing crowds, reports organizer and artist Carolyn Quan, the Maui Open Studios continues this weekend to allow open-door access to local artists islandwide. View their work, ask questions, interact with the creators themselves.
North, Central and Upcountry Maui studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center demonstrations will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, at 2841 Baldwin Ave., Makawao. Next weekend, East Maui studios will open. For a full list of MOS events and a directory of participating artists, along with maps to their studios, visit mauiopenstudios.com.
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Viewpoints Gallery's "Celebration of Hawai'i 2011," featuring more than 50 of Hawaii's top artists and their work to honor the people, culture and heart of the islands, continues with a series of events coinciding with the show, open through March 1. Artist Joseph Fletcher will offer a free oils demonstration from noon to 2 p.m. Friday. For a schedule of events, visit
viewpointsgallerymaui.com.
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Images Fine Art will feature California artist Steven Quartly from 10 a.m. to noon today, Friday and Saturday at the Lahaina gallery. Quartly will be demonstrating his palette knife techniques and his impressionistic approach to painting. A reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday with wine, pupu and live music. For details, call Images at 662-0884 or visit imagesinc.com.
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Mark the creative calendar:?Top plein air artists from Hawaii and around the world will gather for the annual Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, set for Feb. 19 to 26, at various West Maui locations. The weeklong invitational will include the Paint Out and Quick Draw events, which offer chances to view the artists at work; presentations; classes; a gala reception; and meet and greets with the more than 20 artists, among other features. For a list of events, dates and times, visit www.mauipleinairpainting.com.
