CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Satomi Goo, center, and George Hurd of The Tea Chest hand out samples at the Made in Hawaii Festival.
Local artisans
show off at
Made in Hawaii fest
Hawaii innovation and imagination are on display at the Made in Hawaii Festival at the Neal Blaisdell Center.
The festival, which began yesterday, is in its seventh year. It presents an opportunity to see, sample and purchase products made around the state. More than 400 exhibitors have filled both the arena and the exhibition hall for this year's event, up from 61 booths seven years ago.
Products for sale range from clothing and jewelry to foods, candles, wood and glasswork, candy, flowers, plants and coffee.
Some exhibitors are veterans and have attended every year since the beginning. But for others, the show is an all important first step to a potential business opportunity.
Donna Nakamoto of Mililani has used the festival before to showcase her tropical fruit flavored curds, a rich jam-like concoction made with eggs and butter that is used as a spread on scones, muffins and breads and is often served with afternoon tea.
Nakamoto started her company, Planted by the River, in 1999. Her range of products has attracted the attention of buyers from Hawaii specialty food stores like R. Field and Co. and Pat's Island Delight.
"The buyers saw something different and they taste good and look good," she said.
This year is the first time at the festival for Carol Vargas and her sister Gina Teruya from Maui. For both them, what began as gifts for family and friends has turned into a business.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Carol Vargas of Kanilea Papier Tole shows off her favorite subject, koi, at the Made in Hawaii Festival at Neal Blaisdell Center.
Teruya's Hawaii-themed Christmas ornaments, party favors and decorative center pieces have already caught the eye of some of Maui's hotels, according to her sister. The decorative pieces range in price from about $23 to $50, she said.
Vargas began mastering the art of papier tole about four years ago, creating three dimensional framed works. The process uses acid free photographic prints, which are cut and sculptured and put back together again to give depth by creating a layered effect. It's a hobby that has become a business.
Her subjects range from classic Hawaii images to Japanese carp and flowers. The finished work ranges in price from a 4 inch-by-4-inch piece for $42 to something as large as a recent custom piece she did that measures 28 inches-by-34-inches. It sold for $1,800.
Like her sister, Vargas' work has begun to attract some attention, although she says she is not interested in becoming too commercial.
"I'm happy at craft fairs. I want them to go to people like me," she said.
The festival continues today from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $2.
