'Auana: The Voice of Movement

2018 painting, oil on canvas, measuring 20" by 16", with streaks of copper-derived paint. The painting's back stretcher features my thumbprint in oil. 
 
The final painting in my Hula 'Auana series, this work focuses on a ipu heke 'ole, a gourd that is used in hula as a percussion instrument.  These instruments maintain the beat for dancers as they tell their stories through their hula. 
 
An ipu has a dense, chunky outer shell, and I wanted to reflect that in my painting with the brushwork. Large, thick strokes of black paint frame the picture like a halo, while the highlighted copper-infused paint streaks add a counter to the mostly dark painting. 
 
This painting is a part of a larger collection that celebrates unique aspects of Hawaiian culure. In the other paintings in my Hula 'Auana series, I focused on the actions, and people tied to our modern hula traditions. In this painting, I wanted to focus on an often overlooked, but quintessential element of hula and elevate it's status from simple accessory. In doing this, the series serves as a vibrant and robust depiction of all aspects of hula, one of Hawaii's great cultural pillars.