The Big Island Ukulele Guild’s annual exhibit at the Wailoa Center came to a conclusion Oct. 26 with nearly 1,100 visitors throughout the month.

The Ukulele Guild displayed 46 hand-crafted, unique ukuleles of all sizes and shapes. Visitors were asked to vote for their favorite ukulele on display.

Kailua-Kona craftsman Tom Russell’s ukulele entry, No. 46, received this year’s People’s Choice award.

“I fell into ukulele building after taking a couple of classes back in 2013 with Sam Rosen and Guy Sasaki,” Russell said of his interests and connection with crafting ukulele. “I love building these instruments as it combines my hobby of woodworking and woodturning with my lifelong love of music and art and, to some extent, computers.”

“I used many new, nontraditional materials and techniques in this ukulele,” Russell said in describing his entry. “Spalted waterfall bubinga was used for the soundboard, sides and back giving this ukulele a bright sound. The neck is Spanish cedar and features a ‘racing stripe’ of lacewood and padauk.

“I used brown ebony for the headstock with a yellowheart fret board. I designed the hibiscus sound port and yellowheart and padauk headstock inlay, as well as the padauk poinsettia fret board dots in a free CAD program: Inkscape.

“Most importantly, and most satisfying, is knowing that my ukuleles give some the gift of music for years to come.”

The exhibit was sponsored by the Big Island Ukulele Guild, Hawai‘i Island Art Alliance and the Wailoa Center.

Wailoa Center is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed Saturday, Sunday and state holidays. For information about current and coming exhibits, call 933-0416, email wailoa@yahoo.com or visit wailoacenter.com.

The Big Island Ukulele Guild’s annual exhibit at the Wailoa Center came to a conclusion Oct. 26 with nearly 1,100 visitors throughout the month.

The Ukulele Guild displayed 46 hand-crafted, unique ukuleles of all sizes and shapes. Visitors were asked to vote for their favorite ukulele on display.

Kailua-Kona craftsman Tom Russell’s ukulele entry, No. 46, received this year’s People’s Choice award.

“I fell into ukulele building after taking a couple of classes back in 2013 with Sam Rosen and Guy Sasaki,” Russell said of his interests and connection with crafting ukulele. “I love building these instruments as it combines my hobby of woodworking and woodturning with my lifelong love of music and art and, to some extent, computers.”

“I used many new, nontraditional materials and techniques in this ukulele,” Russell said in describing his entry. “Spalted waterfall bubinga was used for the soundboard, sides and back giving this ukulele a bright sound. The neck is Spanish cedar and features a ‘racing stripe’ of lacewood and padauk.

“I used brown ebony for the headstock with a yellowheart fret board. I designed the hibiscus sound port and yellowheart and padauk headstock inlay, as well as the padauk poinsettia fret board dots in a free CAD program: Inkscape.

“Most importantly, and most satisfying, is knowing that my ukuleles give some the gift of music for years to come.”

The exhibit was sponsored by the Big Island Ukulele Guild, Hawai‘i Island Art Alliance and the Wailoa Center.

Wailoa Center is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed Saturday, Sunday and state holidays. For information about current and coming exhibits, call 933-0416, email wailoa@yahoo.com or visit wailoacenter.com.