Art for the eyes and ears will be on display at Maui Crafts Guild in Paia. Local artist Monica Morakis mixes the auditory and visual arts to pay homage to the "art and joy of music," and her exhibition will kick off with a reception from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday at the guild.
"To me, music is not an option in my life," Morakis said in a release. "It is an essential part of daily life. It is like art for the ears. I want to celebrate the musicians, the singers, the dancers and participants who just enjoy what music brings to all of us. Music carries our heart."
The reception will offer refreshments and live music in conjunction with Paia's Fourth Friday event. Morakis' work will be highlighted at the gallery through July 7.
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Maui Crafts Guild featured artist Monica Morakis’ “Maile Lei”
To create her original works, the artist cuts, assembles and glues sheets of stained glass, both opaque and transparent, onto various surfaces. "I love working with glass because of the endless possibilities of light dancing on the surface or light piercing the glass to explode the saturated reds, blues and greens found in stained glass," she said.
Maui Crafts Guild is the island's only artist-owned and -operated cooperative gallery. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 69 Hana Highway. For details, call 579-9697 or visit www.mauicraftsguild.com.
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The works of Maui-based artists Sidney Yee and Kevin Omuro and Oahu-based artist Scott Groeniger are on display in the Hui No'eau Visual Art Center's Solo Artist Exhibition, which continues during gallery hours through July 23. Yee and Omuro's "I Turned to the Turnip" and Groeniger's "Welcome to the New Lifestyle" were unveiled during a public reception June 17 at the Hui's Upcountry grounds. For details, visit www.huinoeau.com.
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Viewpoints Gallery's annual Makawao Plein Air Festival is in full swing through Wednesday at various locations throughout Maui.
The annual event, which gives the public a chance to see professional and amateur artists create work outdoors as they vie for various awards, started last Sunday and continues through Wednesday. Don't miss artists capturing island scenes at Pi'iholo Ranch/Pi'iholo Zipline on Friday, Ali'i Lavender Farm on Saturday and O'o Farms on Monday.
The artwork will be judged by George Allan, Jolle C. and Joseph Fletcher and will be on display in the Makawao gallery from July 2 through 12. The public opening reception and awards ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. July 2 at The Courtyard off Baldwin Avenue. For details, call 572-5979.
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East Maui Watershed Partnership and Viewpoints Gallery recently announced Malama Wao Akua 2011, an artistic celebration of Maui's native flora and fauna. The annual juried exhibition, which started in 2004, is open to Maui County residents of all ages, both amateur and professional.
Original artwork in all media will be accepted, with the condition that the piece has not been shown with any exhibition, gallery or website. The subject of each piece must be a native landscape or native species of Maui. Entry fee is $10 for adults and $5 for keiki 18 and younger. A portion of all entry fees and art sales will be donated to EMWP for the protection of native rain forests. For details, eastmauiwatershed.org/.
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Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Schaefer Portrait Challenge 2012 call for artists continues; the Schaefer International Gallery will begin the jurying process exhibition in September and October. The statewide juried triennial art exhibition, scheduled for public view in January 2012, will feature artists whose work best captures Hawaii's extraordinary portrait subjects. The prospectus and application are available via MauiArts.org, under Exhibits.
