[ GALLERY ]
On view in the Islands
Painter Kathleen Kam's work "Ka Aina o Pele" serves as 30th-anniversary cover for the 2003 edition of the Verizon SuperPages telephone directory.
Hilo artist paints
directory cover
A "deep appreciation for the natural land and resources" of the islands fuels Hilo artist Kathleen Kam's work. A Big Island resident for the past 32 years, Kam's most prominent calling card is a 28-foot by 5-foot mural at the Kilauea General Store, which depicts Puu Oo erupting amid ohia trees, apapane birds and tree ferns.That work, along with her other 12 murals around the Big Island, undoubtedly swayed Verizon Hawaii's decision to commision Kam for their latest telephone directory cover, which was unveiled Friday.
The work, titled "Ka Aina o Pele" (The Land of Pele), depicts a fiery eruption at Puu Oo in the background, with a rainforest in the foreground lush with endemic and indigenous plant life.
"The eruption dramatizes Madame Pele as blackened clouds, looming over distant cooling lava flows," Kam says. "The dense forest, tree ferns, ohia-lehua and koa trees, which are silhouetted by the orange glow, reveal Pele to be the transformer of life, which then begets more life."
Kam, an art teacher, says she hopes to "educate (Hawaii phone book users) about what we started off with, and how precious our land is."
Besides, she adds, the work depicts "a portion of what I love so much about Volcano."
COURTESY OF HAWAII CRAFTSMEN
Winners in the Raku Ho'olaule'a's traditional category are, left, Maren Mosher, third place, for "Tea Bowl"; Eleanor Onizuka, second, for "Lava Pot"; and Steve Martin, first, for "Orange Tea."
Hawaii Craftsmen's
raku winners on show
After building, glazing and a weekend of firing raku on the beach at Kualoa in April, Hawaii Craftsmen present their annual juried show featuring the works fired at the Ho'olaule'a. "Raku Ho'olaule'a Exhibition" runs through July 19 at the ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays.Winners in the contemporary category are Lucille Morelli, first place, for "Pit Servant"; Jeff Chang, second, "China Mist"; Catherine H. Moher, third, "Zebuton"; and honorable mentions Allana Coffee, "Disdain"; Birgitta Frazier, "Guga"; and Reiko Groah, "Kualoa Stream."
Winners in the minors category are Kristen Kogachi, first place, for "Lobotomy"; Jenny Hazlehurst, second, "Waiting"; Micah Thrasher, third, "World of Support"; and honorable mentions Caleb Caris, "Wave"; Daniel Harano, "Cylinder: Metallic Rainbow"; and Alena Lau, "The Jester."
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