Whitworth Gallery

Iao Needle and Kinihapai Stream – Maui, Hawaii

Some places defy words. Even photos fail at capturing their beauty. This is one of those places.

While on Maui in October 2009 I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Iao Valley a couple times. On a previous visit to Maui I remember peering into this valley from afar while trekking back and forth across the island. There was something about this jungle canyon that called to me even before I knew what it was or the beauty that it contained. In ’09 I made it a point to visit Iao and this is the story of the painting that resulted…

I have mentioned before how the key to a successful painting is good reference material. Never underestimate the power of a good photo. Yes, there are some things that photos can’t capture, mood, minute lighting shifts, etc. But until you have attempted to create from memory you will not fully appreciate the value of a concrete reference to remind yourself of your end goal.

For this painting I made a composite image of 3 separate photos.

And below is the 3 merged together.

Now to get it onto the canvas…

By the way, this 24×36, oil.

After I reached this point I mulled over the painting for quite a while. Though I liked how it was resembling the reference material yet standing on it’s own accord, there was an extra dimension that was missing. It bothered me.

One down side of creating studio works of scenes from nature is that there is a potential to become disconnected from the subject. How that could happen with this Maui scene while I painted it in my Alaska studio is a mystery!

I had a predicament. How to reconnect… I started to replay my experiences in the Iao Valley, how it made me feel, the way it smelled, the atmosphere, pulling every little detail from my memory, piecing the experience back together. Finally the memory was fresh once again. This renewed perspective allowed me to approach my painting with a clearer vision of the end result. With a few more hours, some delicately applied glazes, and a frame to accompany this majestic scene, I felt it was finally complete. My tribute to the Iao Valley.

I added color!

I loved glazing the gentle lilac/pink fringe on the under side of the mist. It was amazing how much it enhanced the over-all feel of the painting.

Not many paintings can get away with a frame like this. But then again, not many places have such a rich history as this either. I tried many other options while on my frame quest but kept returning to this one. It must have been meant to be.

Over the several months it took me to complete this painting I found myself searching deep and looking beneath the surface of my reference material. Though long, it was a wonderful and rewarding journey! I can’t wait to apply it to my next painting…