Art inspiration : Banyan trees

People often ask artists where they get their inspiration from.  I guess for me one easy answer would be “from nature”.  Hawai’i is so full of natural beauty I feel constantly surrounded by inspiration for new paintings. I especially love big trees, and banyan trees are one of my favorites. The Big Island has some beautiful old banyan trees and so does Oahu. But the most famous banyan trees are found in Lahaina on Maui. I love the twisted intertwining branches and roots of the banyan and they have been the subject of many little sketches.

Pencil sketch of a banyan tree

The first painting of a banyan tree I created was a few years after a trip to Maui. Here I was able to visit what many say is the oldest and largest banyan tree in the islands. It is a sprawling giant located in the artsy and quaint seaside town of Lahaina. If you ever visit Maui, do not miss it! 

Maui Banyan

Acrylic on 11x14 canvas

The second banyan tree artwork I painted was inspired by various tree’s I have seen in Hilo, and Maui. I added a rolling sea to the background of this painting because banyan trees are often found by the sea and I love how the twisty branches and roots of the banyan seem to mimic the swirling waters of the ocean. 

Banyan by the sea

Acrylic on 11x14 canvas

I am currently working on my third banyan inspired painting. This is the largest painting of a Banyan tree I have done so far at 18 x 24 inches, and is based on a banyan tree I snapped a photo of while visiting Honolulu on Oahu. One of my favorite things to do when I see a large banyan tree is to stand under it and look up. This is how I took the picture I am using as reference for this new painting. 

New handmade paper art pieces

There is something really satisfying about creating something new out of practically nothing. Maybe that is one of the reasons I like to make paper. You can literally gather random scraps and other materials from your home or nature and as long as you have a blender and a few other very common and simple items you can create something new and beautiful. (For more insight into how I create my paper read my earlier blog post on the subject.) It does sound cliche, but really the possibilities are pretty endless. 

For my latest batch of homemade paper I wanted to try something new. I wanted to create some larger pieces of artwork, and I think, for the most part I succeeded. Now, I really feel like the papers alone are almost a work of art onto themselves, so I really wanted to integrate the raw paper into each artwork. I have been experimenting with each piece to do exactly that. Each paper piece has its own characteristics and I have been trying to take that into account as I paint a work of art onto the surface. So far, I have three handmade paper works in progress. These three are oil paintings and when they are finished they will be varnished with a matte finish which not only protects the paper and the painting, but gives it a unique almost leathery texture and feel. Check out my images below to see the in progress artworks.

Three handmade papers in various sizes and colors. Two have been primed with a white gesso.

Three handmade paper oil paint works in progress.

My largest handmade paper piece to date. This one has a clear gesso primer.

Artist in 2020

It would be an understatement to say that this year has been challenging for most people. This is certainly true for me. In early January when I was making plans and goals for the coming year I could never have imagined we would all face a deadly pandemic and economic shutdown that would impact the whole world. Thankfully Hawai’i has largely been spared from the brunt of the disease. However, here on the east side of the big island our economy was still reeling from the volcanic eruption that occurred a couple years ago. So the economic impact of COVID-19 has hit us particularly hard. The farmers markets where I used to sell my artwork shut down suddenly, as did most other businesses and schools. Though one of the markets has since re-opened it has not been worth it for me to go back for several reasons but mostly because there are just no customers. 

Don’t feel bad for me though, I have been very, very lucky for a few reasons. Since I do not work at the markets anymore I have more time to devote to my online sales. And I have had more time to devote to my art. Yes it is a huge challenge to work when all four of my kids are home all the time, but so far I have managed to create a few new pieces of artwork and really increase my online presence. And I would be totally lying if I said the unemployment money I have been receiving has not been extremely helpful! In fact, I was able to buy a new set of oil paints and have several oil paintings in the works with plans to do some much bigger ones. 

8x10 oil on canvas “setting sun on a lazy sea”

Above is my latest finished oil painting. A vibrant Red and yellow setting sun contrasts with the blue and green colors of gently rolling ocean waves.

Easy DIY matting and framing tips

So you have some beautiful art prints purchased from me or one of the other wonderful artists out in the world. Now what? Taking your newly purchased art prints (or long past purchased art prints, LOL) to a professional framing shop can easily cost you hundreds of dollars. But do not worry, it is easy and inexpensive to mat and frame art prints yourself.

The first thing you want to do is make sure your print is in a standard size. This just means the artwork has been printed on a common sized paper so it is easy to find corresponding pre-cut mats and ready made frames. I print all my artwork in standard sizes unless a client requests otherwise and many other artists do the same. The sizes I use most commonly (with corresponding mat sizes) are as follows

5x7 print (fits in an 8x10 mat and frame)

8x10 print (fits in an 11x14 mat and frame)

11x14 print (fits in a 16x20 mat and frame)

There are a few other fairly common sizes out there. If you have any doubt as to whether your art print is a standard size there is an easy solution. First, measure your artwork in inches. Let’s say it measures 9x12. Go to the website of your favorite store that sells art supplies and search for “9x12 inch picture frame” or “9x12 inch picture mat”. If it is a common size you should see a variety of options for you to choose from.

Once you have established that your beautiful art print is indeed a standard size you have another decision to make. To mat or not to mat? A mat is the thick paper “frame” surrounding the artwork. If you decide you would like a plain white or black mat you are in luck. Many ready made frames include the mat, most often white and sometimes black. This is the easiest and generally the most affordable solution for displaying your art.

But what if you want a different color or the frame you have chosen does not come with a mat? Most art and craft stores will carry a wide variety of mats in various textures and colors pre-cut to common standard sizes. Stores such as wal-mart and Target also carry pre-cut mats but there won’t be as many options to choose from. Many craft stores will also cut you a custom mat if you want a very specific color or texture. This may cost you slightly more than buying a pre-cut mat. If you are going this route it is helpful to bring the artwork with you to the craft/frame store so you can see what color looks best with the artwork. A friendly framer will even help you choose.

Now that you have purchased a frame and mat in corresponding size you are ready to frame your artwork! Different frames have slightly different features but it should be fairly self explanatory. Refer to my photos for more details and these helpful tips.

-if you need to use adhesive to keep the artwork in place use a small piece of masking or painters tape. Never put any adhesive on the front of the artwork.

-Attach the art print to the mat instead of any backing materials that may be used.

-If needed, attach the mat and backing bored with a piece of masking tape at the seam.

-try to avoid touching the front of the artwork as much as is possible.

-make sure the glass on the inside of the frame is free from dust and other particles. Be careful when handling the glass as it can be very delicate when removed from the frame and on some I have encountered sharp edges!

-frames should come with hanging options on the back. Depending where on the back of the frame they are located and if your artwork is meant to be displayed vertically or horizontally will determine which is right side up. You do not want to put your artwork in upside down. This seems silly to mention but it has happened to me.

Cool! Ok but what if you don’t want a mat? No worries, if you want your artwork to bleed to the very edge of the frame that is a good look too. In this case you just need to purchase a frame without a mat that is made for the dimensions of your artwork. An 8x10 artwork for example will need an 8x10 frame. Follow any applicable guidelines listed above and you're done. Now the only thing you need to do is decide where to display it!

What is your favorite way to display artwork? Do you have any good tips?

Aloha!

The Eruption continues...

In my previous blog post I wrote about the start of the volcanic eruption that started on May 3 on Hawai’i island. I wish I could say this post was about the end of it… but almost three months later the lava is still flowing strong. It has formed a river that flows from Leilani estates all the way to the sea. At a mile wide in some parts it is an impressive show of nature. To say it has been difficult on the people of Puna is an understatement. Over 700 homes have been lost as well as land, farms and livelihoods. So what have I been up to the past three months?

Well.. I have still been selling my arts and crafts at the markets.. even though my income along with most of the other vendors has been severely cut due to the sharp decline in tourism. I believe it has started to pick up the last few weeks though. And making a little money is better than none at all! Especially when it comes from doing something you love.

We had all sorts of art supplies for people to play with at the shelter-crayons, markers, stamps, coloring books, paper, watercolor paint, colored pencils and more. 

I have also been doing my best to give back to the Puna community. I was fortunate to be able to be  involved in a brunch and paint fundraiser organized by my friend Leandra who owns a wonderful art school, circle of life Hilo. I assisted with the event and donated a small original acrylic painting that sold in the silent auction. I was also able to volunteer at the Pahoa shelter for lava evacuees. Circle of life organized an arts and craft time on Wednesday’s and Leandra, Bonnie (another talented artist) and myself took turns running the arts and craft time. It is a great feeling knowing I can use my talents to help improve the lives of others.. even in a small way.

8x10 original acrylic painting that sold at the silent auction to a generous family visiting from Guam. 

My favorite thing about running the arts and craft table was meeting new people. I met a wonderful artist named Susan who, even though her and her wife lost everything to Pele, they still donated time and art supplies. In fact, many of the people volunteering time and supplies to the people of Puna lost homes and businesses themselves.

A messy art table means lots of people are having fun. On this particular day I had probably close to 10 small keiki created Prayer flags to hang up in the Shelter. They were all so sweet and happy despite the difficult circumstances they were in! 

Prayer Flags

hanging inside the shelter

One of the hardest things for me these past few months has been watching so many friends lose their homes. (Or in some ways even worse, having their homes become uninhabitable.) Some were able to find places to live on island and some had to leave. Many are still in limbo, so to speak, moving from place to place or staying at the shelter. It is always difficult to watch people you love going through hard times, especially when you feel there is not much you can do to make their situation easier. 

Another reason this disaster has been so difficult is because of its unpredictable nature. According to the experts the lava river could stop tomorrow, slow down, speed up, continue for months or years, change course or start flowing somewhere else. Not too helpful when making plans for the future.

So I am trying to take it one day at a time. Which I probably should have been doing all along anyway. The reality of life is that none of us really know what is going to happen and just about anything, good, bad and in between is a possibility. Enjoy the moments you can, try to make the best of whatever happens and don’t take plans too seriously. In other words.. go with the (lava) flow. (Maybe easier said than done however!)

Aloha!

(all of the images in this blog post our my own except for the picture of the prayer flags, I borrowed that one from Leandra's Circle of life Hilo facebook page. Check out her website for awesome keiki and adult classes offered in the Hilo area or to make a donation.  www.circleoflifehilo.com )