Dec. 6-7 PST supports local artists, students in Puna

The eighth annual Paradise Art Studio Tour (PST) is set for the first weekend in December, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7, throughout Hawaiian Paradise Park.

Nine studios will be open to the public, and showing the works of 27 local artists. The mission of the PST artist collective is to generate fellowship among artists and encourage and support young artists.

To this end, each year the artists donate 10 percent of all sales to three Puna District high schools for much-needed art supplies. From previous years’ shows, more than $9,000 has been generated by PST for Pahoa High School, Keaau High School and the Hawaii Academy for Arts &Sciences.

The famed Pablo Picasso — Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, stage designer, poet and playwright — shared this insight, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

This collective of local artists supports the creative environment, and thinks self expression makes for healthy people.

“There is something about seeing artists’ studios which can lead to a more complete understanding of the work,” said watercolorist and illustrator Charles Snyder, HPP resident and four-year member of the artist collective. “Art is in the doing … what’s left is only evidence.”

Art and craft techniques will be demonstrated throughout the weekend. Some of the demos include liquid dye painted on a silk scarf at 2 p.m. both days by Patti Pease Johnson, who also will be showing watercolor and soft pastel art along with silk scarves, tunics and jewelry, plus clay works this year.

Pottery will be demonstrated by Karen Hagen, who also works in cement, creating lava-looking pots. Four other clay artists featured at Karen’s studio include her daughter, Kimi Hagen, and Kimi’s husband, Shelby Smith, both combining glass and steel; Karen Thrasher, a ceramicist and glass artist, who also paints on silk; and Margaret Lynch, who creates raku-fired pottery and wall plaques.

There is no heat or solder used in Stone O’Daugherty’s cold-connected jewelry, fusing contemporary designs with old-world techniques. Created primarily with sterling silver and precious stones, each piece is one-of-a-kind, signed and numbered.

There are several artists offering varied jewelry collections this year, including Jill Allan, Nishta DeLewis, Karin Moore-Seawater, Diane Thornton (paper jewelry) and Linda Brooks. Nishta also does gemstone collages; Moore-Seawater, mixed media mosaics; and Thornton paints in watercolor and makes art boxes.

Brooks creates her jewelry and plaques from fusing glass. Carved wooden spoons are created by Howard Rhinehart, while John McCollum offers bamboo and wood combinations, along with carved and wood burned gourds. Hand-painted walking sticks are Linda Peterson’s wood craft, along with miniature acrylic paintings.

Charlene Meyers puts her lava photography on mugs that change color when hot liquid is added and also prints on mouse pads and other size prints.

Michael McGuire prints his photography of local sites on a translucent base, then mounts them in custom-made light boxes illuminated from behind. Vicki Vierra offers note cards of her original art and photography, in addition to herbal soaps and giant homegrown loofah sponges.

Coloring books are created by a few artists. Hopper Sheldon also does her “moo-crew” whimsical animal art on T-shirts for babies to adults, plus custom embroidery. Esther Szegedy shows her fun-loving creatures made in conte-crayons on prints, ornaments, coloring books, and cards. She also is an illustrator of children’s books.

Illustrator and watercolorist Charles Snyder has local landscape images for coloring. He also does architectural illustration commissions for people’s homes.

Many artists will accept commissions for special projects during the tour.

Subject matter and styles abound within the studio tour painters, who use a variety of mediums. Oil painters are Peggy McKinsey (orchids), and Bonnie Sol Hahn (landscapes). Acrylic painters are Margaret Stanton (landscape impressionism), Renee Wilson (abstract and collage) and Linda Watson, who also makes fabric bags.

Fine art watercolorist Garry Palm has a variety of subject matter from what he calls palm girls and military girls to his inspired florals of Hawaii.

A complete map brochure for the nine studios is available online at www.paradisestudiotour.com, or call Karen Hagen at 982-5150 for information.

A public restroom and Café Oasis food lunch wagon will be supplied for the public’s convenience.