Location: Pu'uhonua o Honaunau
Size: 60" x 40"
Medium: Oil on stretched canvas
Artist's Comments: Back in the old Hawaiian days, Pu'uohonua o Honaunau was a place of refuge where kapu (law) breakers or defeated warriors would not be harmed if they made it to this sanctuary. Today, this place still provides a place of refuge for visitors however, its a different type of sanctuary - one that provides protection from worldly cares. The moment you step under the canopy of palm trees, you can't help but feel at peace surrounded by a calming breeze. Due to the areas sacred history, the palm tree grove has been allowed to grow undisturbed for many, many years. They are some of the tallest trees on the island! I wanted to capture a particular stretch of palm trees that were growing in a very straight grove and reminded me of the strong rock walls that were built to protect those that were able to make it safely to its embrace. However my challenge was to provide some interest and avoid a very horizontal composition so, I tried to create a focal point in the center of the painting by painting a few palm trees with brighter colors and more detail than the rest. Then, at just the right moment, the perfect detail presented itself ~ a fisherman strolling to the shoreline. This provided the perfect element needed to communicate the scale of the tall trees. After painting the man, I felt the composition to be too empty and felt he needed a companion to join him on his fishing adventure; a little doggie!
To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.
