Art show to feature turtles

The Volcano Art Center and the Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project announce “Honu‘ea 2012,” a juried art exhibition celebrating Hawaii’s endangered honu‘ea, the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).

Amateur and professional artists of all ages are encouraged to submit works of art to raise awareness and funds for these critically endangered sea turtles. The exhibition opens on April 28 at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. A formal reception will follow in the evening from 5-7 p.m. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded.

The hawksbill is an endangered sea turtle that lives in the waters of the islands. They are known to nest on seventeen beaches on Hawaii, about three on Maui and at an unknown number of locations on Molokai. Three of the beaches on Hawaii are protected along the remote coast of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

“Volcano Art Center Gallery is the perfect venue for this exhibition,” said Emily Catey, gallery manger at VAC. “Hawksbill sea turtles nest right here within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park boundaries.”

Catey knows this personally as she volunteered with the Hawaii Island Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project in 2001. Conservation projects such as this one are working hard to preserve endangered species in Hawaii.

“We hope the contest will raise awareness and funds for this conservation effort, kicking off the nesting season which extends from April to February with peak activity between July and October,” states Will Seitz, coordinator for the Hawaii Island Hawksbill Turtle Project. “It’s a great way for people of all ages to get involved and help save one of Hawaii’s native species.”

Partial proceeds from both the entry fee and sale of art work go to the Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project. More information about how to enter work representing the honu‘ea species can be found at Volcano Art Center’s website www.volcanoartcenter.org, or call Emily Catey at 967-7565.