LOCAL COLOR
"Galaxy Series I" is Lucille Cooper's clay stone pit-fired piece.
Craft artists Albert Einstein once said, "The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead."
show their talent
Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comLocal craft artists celebrating their dedication and talent at the 35th annual statewide, juried exhibition hope others experience such rapture when viewing their pieces, a mix of traditional and non-traditional, functional and nonfunctional pieces fashioned from clay, fiber, metal, wood, glass and mixed media.
Hawaii Craftsmen was founded in 1966 with the intention of increasing awareness of fine crafts. The show is also dedicated to the encouragement, conservation and promotion of quality crafts.
"Jurassic Link," is a piece by Carol Bowen made of silver, stones and dinosaur bone.
Seventy-three artists entered 214 pieces for consideration on Oahu. Of these, Juror Vincent Marasa chose to feature 52 pieces by 34 different artists. And 30 more pieces are expected to be collected from the neighbor islands.
Marasa has worked in museum design and installation in the greater Boston area since 1988, and said once the pieces are chosen, the exhibition takes on a life of its own.
He says he doesn't take an academic approach to work, so many of the pieces chosen reference functionality, as opposed to works that flirt with the category of art.
"I tried to be as open-minded as possible during the jurying process -- I don't want to impose my aesthetic on others. And, I don't believe in minimalism. More is more," he said. "While it's a kudo for the craftspeople to get into the show, it's really for the audience.
"There is a very high level of creativity and a high commitment to craftsmanship in the works I've seen. I had no idea what to expect. I was looking for a commitment to excellence.
"Lots of stuff, I don't see back home, especially the intricate woodworking," he added.
Kim Coffee-Isaak, executive director of Hawaii Craftsmen, said, "Every juror is looking for different things -- whether it is functional, original, different use of materials, or if it is just plain beautiful.
"Sometimes they choose a piece just because it made them smile. Or, if they can tell it was done by somebody new to the material, they want to encourage them so they select the piece to make sure the artist will continue to head in that direction. It's really subjective," she said.
"Yellow Pig" is a clay piece crafted by May Izumi.
"The jurors are able to take back what is going on here, spread the word that Hawaii is hip. A lot of people think we are all about palm trees and dolphins and pretty flowers. But, there is a lot more than that," added Coffee-Isaak.
THE CRAFTSMEN always bring in outside jurors for the annual showcase to ensure no favoritism gets in the way of displaying relevant work. This way, first-year students at the University of Hawaii have the same opportunity as established artists to have their pieces chosen.
"It's really fun because I can go in and be impartial -- I don't owe anybody any favors," Marasa said. "The only information given to me is a name and the medium used."
Johannette Rowley's piece, "Fashion Victim," is a black shoe crafted from clay and adorned with silver spikes attached to a medieval mace and a tiny black vinyl handbag, also decorated with spikes.
"It's about the social bondage that comes from women being viewed as sex objects," said Rowley. "Fashion is also a way for social advancement."
Johannette Rowley's "Fashion Victim," above, is one of 52 pieces selected by juror Vincent Marasa for this year's Hawaii Craftsmen exhibition.
When women look a certain way, they are rewarded, she said. "It's such a medieval notion, but yet it's still happening. It's archaic to think that women are still considered one-dimensional sex objects."
The shoe is a representation of binding feet. "I work downtown and I still see people wearing these high heels and wobbling. It cripples women, causes health problems -- but they are sexy."
Corinne Kamiya, a 20-year-old UH art student, created a piece in bronze. "About Lightness" depicts a woman with one missing foot and no arms, who is being led on a harness pulled by bees. It represents the feeling of lightness when life's difficulties are eased.
"I often feel incomplete as a person," Kamiya said. "The piece represents traveling back; bringing a part of me that was damaged, back to something that is innocent. The pieces reflect me a lot, partly happy, partly sad. I'm always reminiscing about my childhood."
She lived on a farm where bees would often build nests. "My father would have to go get a stick, knock them down and we would all run away," she said.
"It's nice to think that at one time, everyone was innocent," she added.
Where: Academy Art Center, 1111 Victoria St. Hawaii Craftsmen
35th Annual Statewide Juried Exhibition
When: Opening reception 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; Display runs Thursday through Oct. 31
Also: Vincent Marasa presents a slide demonstration at 6:30 p.m. today at the Doris Duke at the Academy theatre
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