Janell Nakahara Uses Her Talent to Boost Hawaii's Youth

      From a young age Janell Nakahara found an interest for art and anthropology.  Since discovering her love for art in the third grade, Nakahara found a way to follow her passion to UH Manoa where she graduated with a degree in Art History.  Now Nakahara is sharing her love of art and history with Hawaii's youth through the Honolulu Museum of Art's Art to Go outreach program.

The program titled "Philosophy and Art" is a new project in conjunction with Ala Wai Elementary School.  Kids have the chance to build self confidence and explore their creativity during the 12 week course that runs after school.  In a recent interview featured on the Honolulu Museum of Art's blog Nakahara explains how art helped her emerge from her shy childhood.  Her personal experience helps drive her to spark art interest in Hawaii's youth.  Click here for the full interview about Nakahara and the positive impact she is having on our community!

What Is Chance Carpenter Doing Now?

In 2010 Chance Carpenter left UH with his BA and has become a well-known and sought-after graphic design artist in Hawaii for the past three years.  He has jump-started his own business, Silhouette, which specializes in branding, advertising, and video production.  In the past year, Silhouette has taken off with it's new physical location on Hotel St. in Chinatown.  Along with the new location, Carpenter has added three employees.  Despite the growing demand for his creative talents, Carpenter says he plans on keeping the business small in order to have a more personal relationship with clients and boutique type of feel.  Carpenter's talent extends beyond his entrepreneurship, he is currently the creative director of Nude, a premier surf magazine for Hawaii. Check out the links to his websites for additional information.

Chance's work for Silhouette

Nude Surf Magazine

Nicole Naone and Ashley Huang Spark New Art Enthusiasm in Waikiki

Nicole Naone

University of Hawaii College of Arts and Sciences graduate Nicole Naone launched the Waikiki Parc Hotel's Parc Promenade earlier this year.  Using fiberglass, bronze, and repurposed woods, Naone created a beautiful piece of art drawing from multiple inspirations.  Her aim was to represent local art values and inspire the local art community to continue to grow and flourish.  Her installment at the Parc Promenade ended in October but fellow alum Ashley Huang has just installed a new exhibition entitled "Bamboo Forest."

Naone's installation

 

Ashley Huang

"Bamboo Forest" will be on display until February 28th 2014.  Huang's inspiration for the piece came from personal life experiences.  In describing her art Huang said, "Each ceramic bamboo culm represents my relationships with significant people who have influenced me throughout my life."

Ashley Huang's "Bamboo Forest"

The exhibit is free and open to the public at the Waikiki Parc Hotel lobby at 2233 Helumoa Road, Waikiki.

Congratulations to Newly Published Authors Jaimey Hamilton Faris and John Szostak!

Two UH professors, Jaimey Haimilton Faris and John Szostak have joined the prestigious ranks of published authors with the recent releases of their books.  

Faris’ book, Uncommon Goods, focuses on the shift in art since the 1990’s to focus on globalization.  Artists are engaging audiences using conventional commodities and goods, making statements about the “readymade” items that have become a common staple in every day life.  Uncommon Goods delves into the deeper ethical dilemmas associated with global commerce such as consumption, marketing, bureaucracy, labor, and community.

John Szostak focuses on early 20^th century Japanese artists in his book PaintingCircles.  Szostak centralizes the book around Tsuchida Bakusen, a Nihonga painter who founded the Kokuga Society.  The book analyzes the Kokuga Society’s efforts to preserve traditional Japanese art themes in today’s Western influence.

Annie Nguyen is Putting Herself on the Map!

Linkin Park's new LP designed by Annie Nguyen

After graduating from UH with her BFA, Annie Nguyen has been on force in the graphic design world.  After graduation, the Honolulu native moved her talent to Los Angeles where she is currently the art director at Machine Shop, a creative art studio in L.A. that works with top artists.  Machine Shop started in 2011 and the company has taken off in the past two years, now working with top names such as Linkin Park. 

Nguyen has had an interest in music and design from a young age.  While she was at UH she was involved with KTUH and launched Space&Sound with TravisTokuyama, Joe Gosalvez, and Alika Pfaltzgraff. Nguyen is still the creative director of Honolulu-based creative art company Space&Sound despite her current mainland location.    

686 Technical Apparel coat

At Machine Shop, Nguyen has been able to blend her two passions together in a creative explosion of talent.  Her latest works include the graphic design of Linkin Park’s new LP, as well as the design covers of some of the band’s singles.   She has also worked with Musicfor Relief, which is a charity organization that provides aide to environmental programs and disaster relief programs.  Nguyen has also applied her talents to 686 Technical Apparel, which is a high-tech clothing company specializing in cold weather environments.  Nguyen worked with her creative director, Rickey Kim, and artist, producer, rapper Mike Shinoda to design a jacket for 686.  Take a look at Annie Nguyen’s blog for more samples of her work.

BFA Alum Bringing Together New York and Hawaii With The Garage

Liam Davis "Fear Less, Hope More, Eat Less, Chew More,Whine Less, Breathe More, Talk Less, Say More" diptych, ink, pencil and acrylic stencils on wooden panels 14” x 11”2013

Susan Callahan Kang has jumpstarted a new gallery/salon called The Garage, in Honolulu highlighting local talent as well as notable artists from New York.   UH art professor Debra Drexler recently led a trip of MFA and BFA students to New York, where they met up with some New York talent to bridge the connection for The Garage.  New York artists include Liam Davis, Rob DeOude, Linda DiGusta, Enrico Gomez, and Michele Zalopany.  De Oude and Gomez have both exhibited internationally and published articles in well-known art magazines.  Liam Davis is a MFA alum from UH who is currently an artist and curator for Artifact Gallery in New York.  Michele Zalopany is a celebrated artist of Native Hawaiian decent given exceptional recognition in the 1989 Whitney Biennial.

Local artists featured in the exhibit are three 2013 BFA alums; Susan Callahan Kang, Jodie Chock, Nicole Naone, 2013 MFA alum JessicaOrfe, and Roland Longstreet, Nari Maeda, with Debra Drexler as the curator.  Drexler has exhibited at multiple galleries in Honolulu and New York and currently has studios in New York and Kailua.

Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00pm to 6:00pm, and by appointment.
The Garage- 1510 Ohialoke Street, Honolulu, Hawai’i, 96821.

Maika'i Tubbs now in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada

"Life of its Own" (detail pictured above), the work that Maika'i Tubbs produced for Sakahàn: International Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada early this year was purchased by the gallery for their permanent collection.

The National Gallery of Canada interviewed Maika'i was his work and it is available here.