Wailoa Center will start off 2019 with the juried Hawaii Photography Show sponsored by the Hilo Photography Club.
The exhibit opens Jan. 4 and will be on display through Jan. 27, featuring 150 images from photographers residing in Hawaii. The images were juried by travel photographer Laurent Martres, covering photographic genres ranging from portraiture, nature and travel to landscape and digital art.
Martres will present awards during the exhibit’s opening reception slated for 5-7 p.m. Jan. 4 at Wailoa Center.
Martres’s photographic work ranges from highly acclaimed landscape to travel, including photographic guide books for the American Southwest. He will present a program at 11 a.m. Jan. 5 at Wailoa Center, detailing his journey photographing in more than 200 countries and discuss his selection of the winning entries.
Included with the photography exhibit will be invited sculptors Gregory Paul and John Strohbehn, who will display their recent sculptural work. Being able to complete and display this body of work is remarkable because of the fact that each of them were displaced by this year’s volcanic eruption.
Strohbehn is an abstract sculpture artist.
“Using wood and stone, I create sculptures with flowing movements that speak directly to the source of the material,” he said.
“The potential of the raw substrate is the inspiration for my designs. Once I begin a sculpture, there is a tension created that must be resolved before I and the work can rest. The meaning of each piece is found in the process of working towards the balance between the design intent, the material and me.”
Paul’s sculptures are created using materials such as wood, stone, concrete and found inspirational objects.
“On May 4, 2018, a 6.9 earthquake rocked our lower Puna home,” he said.
“It propelled us in previously intentioned directions and accelerated imaginative new plans. The 2018 lower East Rift Zone flows, while unfortunately destructive for many, were fierce fully impressive. The immensely creative and cleansing force burned and etched into three-dimensional form are some of the experiences of this past year. Nature influences and motivates. Creating is a joy experience free from the influences of what appears to be or could be the idea of reality. Imaginings are abstract fluidity vying for fruition. And I’ve won a few awards, but that’s not the point.”
Wailoa Center, located at 200 Piopio St. in Hilo, is free and open to the public 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
For more information, call 933-0416, email wailoa@yahoo.com or visit wailoacenter.com.