StarBulletin.com

Store greens up with art show


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POSTED: Thursday, June 04, 2009

Fishcake, a furniture store, seems founded on the principle of being “;off the beaten path”; (the store name gives you the first clue), and though many have discovered its delights since its doors opened in January 2008, it continues to stay fresh.

               

     

 

FISHCAKEGREEN

        » Where: fishcake, 307-C Kamani St.
       

» When: Through June 16

       

» Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays.

       

» Call: 593-1231

       

 

       

The showroom at 307-C Kamani, with its explosion of colors, textures and vignettes set against a canvas of white walls and floor, is a blend of hip, eclectic, classic and sophisticated all at once. And even if one is not in the market for furniture, strolling through is like stepping into an art gallery.

So it's fitting that owners Maura Fujihira, Akemi Rogers and Deborah Low have introduced art exhibitions as part of the store's offerings.

Its first eco-series, fishcakeGREEN, showcases artwork that emphasizes recycling. On display through June 16, furnishings include plastic shoe boxes fashioned into a divider screen by artist Myqi, which doubles as ambient lighting with fixtures provided by Sean Agosta-Bidleman of Prism Enterprises; florist-stock vases turned into pendant lamps by Scott Fitzel and Jinni Mitchell; and discarded sails sewn into purses by Pia Kuhlemann.

“;Many of the artisans and designers discovered items on the side of the road that they refurbished and brought in,”; said Fujihira. “;It's a hodgepodge of things.”;

The eco-show also features furniture by artist Mark Chai, known for recycled works in which white plastic barrels are formed into lamps, chairs and side tables.

“;We really want to include local designers and artisans in our showroom,”; she said. “;They need a place to showcase and sell their things, and we want to be supportive of them; it's great for us, too—it's a symbiotic relationship.”;

If a piece sells here, a little more of the proceeds goes back into the artists' pockets, unlike consignment through some art galleries or museums that might take a bigger cut.

“;We don't want the artists starving,”; said Fujihira. “;We want them to keep producing,”;