COURTESY PHOTO May Chee's untitled work is a coiled and pinched glazed stoneware with wax-resist design.

Contemporary visions

A trio of shows are on exhibition at The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center: "Here: Paintings by Stephen Niles," "May Chee -- An Overview of Ceramic Works" and "David Hamma: a year of Sundays."

Niles' works include images painted from photographs precisely as they were taken, as in the tradition of realist painting. Chee's ceramic vessels are inspired by the pottery of ancient China and incorporate elements of Hawaii's environment, such as birds, fish and plant life. Hamma's works comprise drawings, paintings and prints and reflect his interest in the re-cycles of life, such as death and rebirth.

The shows continue through Jan. 31 at First Hawaiian Center, 999 Bishop St. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and until 6 p.m. Fridays. The center is closed on weekends and banking holidays. Admission is free. Call 526-1322 or visit www.tcmhi.org.

COURTESY PHOTO "Fresh Everything, 2005," a gouache with silkscreen on paper by David Hamma, is on exhibit at The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Bank through Jan. 31. The piece is part of Hamma's show "David Hamma: a year of Sundays" and shares the gallery space with two other exhibits: "Here: Paintings by Stephen Niles" and "May Chee -- An Overview of Ceramic Works."

COURTESY PHOTO Stephen Niles' work is from the "Immanent Series, Immanent 1." It is a gouache on paper. Niles works, which are paintings of photographs exactly as they were taken, without cropping or editing, reflect the style of realist painters whose works focus on reproduction of details.