Social Activism

Palama Settlement goes online

May 7, 2020 Artistic practice, Community, Hawaii, Living Aloha, News, Social Activism

COVD19 has been increasing across the world and country and now here in Hawai’i. Palama Settlement closed all its programming and we decided to pilot two classes online for Total Beginners and Continuing Watercolor. I spent 3 weeks learning Google Classroom and gotomeeting.com and doing test sessions to learn how to move my content online and to try to replicate some of the features of a live FTF (Face to Face) session. Meanwhile, Sweden, has chosen another path, to foregoRead More

Teaching Art

February 4, 2020 Artistic practice, Commentary-Debate, Community, Living Aloha, News, Social Activism

I spent a semester as a Teaching Assistant for the 2019-2020 school year at Farrington High School. I wanted to help out a friend and gain some experience teaching young people so it was a win-win arrangement. This project was on collage and each student had to do their Chinese astrological animal. It was a good example of combining different teaching goals: learning and appreciating other cultures, learning new techniques and skills, and practicing problem solving and thinking skills andRead More

KĀNEHŪNĀMOKU

January 20, 2020 Community, Exhibits, Hawaii, Living Aloha, New Work, News, Social Activism

This statement was written by Dr. Jan Beckett, whose photography and my paintings were hung in collaboration and support of the vision of KĀNEHŪNĀMOKU at the State Capital entrance January 20th through February 7, 2020. Mahalo to Kumu Glen Kila of Marai Ha’a Koa who first introduced me to the mo’olelo and wahipana of this area. I look forward to learning more about the Silva stories too. KĀNEHŪNĀMOKU: A Wai‘anae Cultural Landscape is an exhibit in memory of Albert Silva,Read More

TLR Total Life Recovery

December 21, 2019 Commentary-Debate, Community, Living Aloha, News, Social Activism

Turning Stories into Life Changing Lessons The Total Life Recovery Program (TLR) at the only Women’s Community Correctional Center in Hawaii is a faith-based, gender specific program that addresses every area of a woman’s life mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. TLR equips participants with the knowledge and tools they need to live successfully everyday with dignity and self worth – bringing hope to incarcerated women who are now committed to changing their hearts, changing their thinking and changing their goals.Read More

Wahi Pana: A Sense of Place

May 14, 2019 Commentary-Debate, Community, Exhibits, Hawaii, Living Aloha, New Work, News, Social Activism, whattodoinoahu

Color Bridges Workshop at the HUB

April 22, 2019 Commentary-Debate, Hawaii, Living Aloha, New Work, Social Activism, Sweden, whattodoinoahu, Workshops

ON April 21, 2019 I ran a interactive session to present my Color Bridges theory of harmonic color and how it can be created and used to enhance or lift our moods and environment. It was part of the public programming of the HUB, one of 10 locations around the city for installations. I’ve been making Color Bridges for some time now. I realise many don’t really understand my fascination with them—making them, sharing them, etc. But I take comfortRead More

Wahi Pana: A Sense of Place

February 22, 2019 Commentary-Debate, Community, Exhibits, Hawaii, Living Aloha, New Work, News, Social Activism, whattodoinoahu

“Wahi Pana” means a pulse of a place and many understand it to mean a place of reknown or historied place such as the site of the birth of Kamehameha in Kohala. But I also believe a wahi pana can also be a place that creates the sense of belonging, especially if it is one that is tied to the place of your birth or where you feel a connection to as part of your ohana (family). I wrote aRead More

Artists love other artists

December 30, 2018 Commentary-Debate, Community, Hawaii, Living Aloha, News, Social Activism, Sweden

I believe artists love other artists, and we always hope, always rejoice, when other artists move forward. I believe my special gift to share has to do with helping others understand that even when we feel alone, we are never truly alone and exercising our creativity in making art, enjoying beautiful art made by others, making things, enjoying handmade things by a skillful craftsman keeps us connected. Then we can embrace solitude and not run from it, relax and enjoyRead More

Sharing my love of watercolor with teenagers

September 22, 2018 Commentary-Debate, Community, Hawaii, Living Aloha, Social Activism

A Day at Farrington High School Home of the Governors. I was lucky to be invited to be a guest at Farrington High School yesterday to present my story as a local girl who studied art and lives off my creativity and to give a few lessons on watercolor. I had 80 minutes and three classes in a day. The school has fostered no less than 3 Hawaii State Governors over the years. I prepared about 20 minutes of talkingRead More

Teaching watercolor to kupuna

August 22, 2018 Commentary-Debate, Community, Hawaii, Living Aloha, News, Social Activism

The Joy of Being an Absolute Beginner I started teaching Beginning Watercolor to kupuna (seniors) at Palama Settlement as an expanded program for their senior activities last year. Palama began with ceramics and watercolor, something we have been doing for the keiki (children) for some time now. It was an interesting challenge and I was very excited and curious to see what the interest would be from our kupuna.  I began the first class with 6 students, the second grewRead More