Orvis Artist in Residence Robert Reed

Robert Reed's artist residency at Honolulu Academy just ended. Reed is the last of four graduate students who were awarded ORVIS AIR this academic year.

Reed maintained a diary of sorts on the HAA blog during his residency there, and will be presenting a performance at Linekona for the Thirst show on September 4.

UHart PARTNERS WITH FENDI followup

This is a followup to an earlier blog post regarding UHart's partnership with FENDI.

The events were a great success and covered thoroughly in an article by Nadine Kam. Alums artists Eli Baxter and Aaron Padilla both produced stunning displays that fit FENDI's theme of Fatto A Mano.

A huge thanks goes to Dean Christopher's (another former student) for his tireless work to bring it to fruition, and for dreaming up this idea in the first place, including that 20% of the private events sales goes to benefit our department.

Travis Seifman receives $4,000 scholarship

MA student Travis Seifman receives $4,000 scholarship from the Society of Asian Art of Hawai’i.

UHM Furniture Design Challenge at DWR

UH Furniture Design Challenge
Thursday, August 25, 6-8pm
DWR Honolulu Studio

Ala Moana Shopping Center - Top level next to Nordstrom

Support the future of design at DWR. Check out the innovative designs from the UHM art students in ART 358 with David Landry. A panel from the local design community will be judging the submissions during the event, and the winners will be announced at the end of the evening. Wine, refreshments, and pupu will be served. Admission is free.

RSVP by August 20 to clee@dwr.com

Gorey Exhibition Catalogue Now Available

Gorey Exhibition Catalogue Now Available at the Gallery and via the gallery website, under publications

Country Living for Everyone - Kirsten Simonsen

Country Living for Everyone
A charming new home with an aged, old world appearance...

A solo exhibition by Kirsten Rae Simonsen,
explores the fantasies embodied in Hawai‘i’s mock Tudor and French Norman cottage-style homes.

August 22-September 2, 2011 (open daily from 7 AM-9 PM)
Opening reception Monday August 22, 5:30-7:30 PM

at Academy Art Center at Linekona - 1111 Victoria Street

Artist talk August 18, 6-7 PM, 39 Hotel
(sponsored by [OFF] hrs & Jaimey Hamilton)

more about Country Living for Everyone:
The original idea behind the growth of suburbia in the UK and the United States was that it was meant to be "country living for everyone." Suburban homes initially were meant to recall the experience of the English country cottage: a lovely, calm retreat from the chaos of the city. In Hawai’i, during the 1920s, immigration from the West Coast of the United States increased drastically, and many new middle class homes were built in the Mock Tudor English cottage style that was popular on the mainland. These English Tudor (and sometimes French Norman) cottages spoke to an especially odd and incongruent fantasy: that of the American immigrant bringing "olde England" to Hawai’i. The fantasy was doubly strange, as the Tudor revival style was artificial and invented to begin with, even in the UK. This exhibition will explore that fantasy…how did these immigrants envision Hawai’i? What possessed them to build English and French Norman cottages here? How did they see their role in their new adopted home in the islands?