A trip to the “Big Island” of Hawai`i is always exhilarating, and my July trip was over-the-top amazing!
Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own personality. Like siblings in a family, no two are alike.
Hawai`i Island is the largest of all of the islands. In fact, all of the other islands would fit inside of it (as if that were possible).
Hawai`i is rugged, rural, majestic, and home to the most active volcano on Earth.
Two exhibits on the Kona side of the island prompted my July trip.
Tiffany DeEtte Shafto is doing a great job presenting my art to a wider audience. She hung my art at both The Four Seasons Hualalai and Henderson House at the Shops in Mauna Lani.
I stayed at the Four Seasons for one night and Ohmygoodness there are so many reasons it is consistently rated the BEST resort in the world!
The beauty, luxurious accommodations, sumptuous grounds, the happy, friendly people, the yummy food, much of which is grown on the resort and the island, are all top notch!
This is the view at dawn from our cabana at the Four Seasons Hualalai
It is paradise on steroids!
Teaching a watercolor class at the Four Seasons was great fun and very rewarding.
Me, Jeanette, & Mike in front of my painting, "Miles from Nowhere", at Henderson House
I am thrilled to have my abstract paintings hanging in the showcase design environment of Henderson House in The Shops at Mauna Lani.
Me and Rebecca Snow relaxing in the middle of a long, exciting day at the Four Seasons.
Rebecca Snow, my friend, fellow artist, and studio-mate, joined me on the trip. It was her first time to Hawai`i Island so we stayed a few extra days with my cousins Mike and Jeanette in Captain Cook.
Mike gave us a tour of their orchard of bananas, oranges, tangerines, mango, avocado, Kona coffee, Ulu, and Pamelo. Jeanette’s healthy meals gave us a delicious respite between the hectic exhibit schedules.
We rose at 2:30AM on Saturday so Mike could drive us to the southern tip of the island to see the glowing Kilauea caldera and watch the sun rise on Mauna Loa. It was breath taking!
The energy of life renewing itself is evident all over the world, in every backyard. That same energy feels amplified on the Big Island.
The contrast of birth/renewal and death happens simultaneously all around us. Our lives become that much sweeter when we realize it’s up to us to pick up the reins and make each path our own.
Putting things off does us no service. Living life is a verb. Creating a life that matters is actionable.
Let’s all take the action we need to take today to make the most of our time here on Earth!
We are meant to continue to grow, becoming more of our REAL selves here on Earth!