Left photo Rose Anne Jones / Right photo Robb Jones
Right:
Kate and W ill Jacobson
Sm ooth M ov es,
2010,
naked raku,
12 x
6
in.
Right:
Dustin Miyakawa
T h e K e lly K ase, 2010,
contemporary raku,
23 x 8 in.
but the subject matter are based
solely on our ancient beliefs and
philosophy. Not that I regurgi-
tate, for I am a very contempo-
rary artist, but the process and
procedure and protocol of carv-
ing itself is the foundation of all
my work.”
Fiber artist Liz Train works
in silk and wool nuno felting,
exploring natural themes.
“I’ve always been very influ-
enced by Hawaii and the land-
scape: the colors, the tropical
flowers, jungles and fish,” says
Train, who grew up on the is-
land of Kauai.
A visit to The Contempo-
rary Museum in Honolulu
offers a chance to view both
outstanding works by Hawaiian
artists and the natural environ-
ment that so often inspires
them. Tucked into the slopes
of Mount Tantalus, the museum
is enveloped by a beautifully
landscaped sculpture garden.
Its genesis was an art collection
owned by the
Honolulu Adver-
tiser
newspaper. The collection
comprises more than 3,400
works, of which about a quarter
are craft works, says Jay Jensen,
deputy director for collections
and exhibitions.
The collection includes more
than 70 works by ceramic artist
Toshiko Takaezu and several
pieces by local wood turner
Ron Kent, whose work, says
Jensen (no relation to Rocky
Jensen), is among the best-
known and widely collected
outside the state.
Mixed-media installation
artist Maika'i Tubbs was one
of seven artists selected to par-
ticipate in The Contemporary
Museum’s biennial, which runs
through January 9. For that
show, Tubbs continued his
practice of melting plastic
utensils into shapes that resem-
ble Hawaii’s woodrose vine.
Given the health risks of his
medium, however, Tubbs
says he’s ready to put aside his
heat gun.
“I’ve done quite a few plastic
pieces, but after this installa-
tion, I’m probably going to go
more the route of paper,” he
says. “Hopefully, I can combine
paper and plastic into sort of a
hybrid, so I can still use plastic
but without having to melt it.”
Kyle Ino creates fused glass
jewelry, using art glass, dichroic
glass and recycled glass (such
as wine bottle tops) that he
melts or fuses together in layers
and wraps in wire. His small,
improvised studio is located in
the Makakilo community of
Honolulu County.
“I’m in an enclosed garage, 430
square feet, and I’m sharing it with
a washer and dryer,” Ino says.
In an area so cramped for
space that many apartment
dwellers cram washing ma-
chines, clotheslines, detergent
and more onto streetside balco-
nies, some craft artists might
actually be a little envious.
+
Learn more:
deetteandallan.com
louispohlgallery.com
hawaiicraftsmen.org
bethelstreetgallerv.com
hawaii.gov/sfca
noheagallery.com
honoluluacademy.org
tcmhi.org
kyleino.com
maikaitubbs.com
jacobsonartstudio.com
Sonya Stinson writes about
travel and the arts from her home
in New Orleans.
dec/jann american craft 071
