Arts
Arts
Island School Artist Recognized by Governor
Island School ninth grader Aylwen was the joint winner of Pacific Birds ʻalae ʻula art competition. Aylwen's work was presented at the governorʻs proclamation 2 weeks ago. Island School sixth grader Alia's work was highly commended. Aylwen submitted the following artist statement, printed below:
"For the painting, I was quite inspired by a few different Hawaiian core values such as Kuleana (the privilege and responsibility to take care of the land and each other) as well as Mālama (to protect and care for the land and people as well). Though these words may be similar, they go together as complementary pieces. In the painting, I wanted to show the privilege of taking care of the bird and the care that goes into it. For the piece, instead of mainly focusing on the birds, I went with the overall focus of the ʻāina and how one's ability to give kindness has a bigger impact on the environment than it seems. I also wanted to show how these birds could go unseen as they are an endangered species and how it is in a sense small, as it is endemic to the islands and found nowhere else. Hopefully people can tell which mountains were referenced as I tried to paint the likeness of The Valley of the Kings. It's a very spiritual and culturally significant place and since no Hawaiian moorhens live on Hawaiʻi Island anymore I wanted to paint them somewhere very significant to Hawaiʻi since both need to be preserved and respected. Lastly, I wanted to paint a child as well to encompass and express these Hawaiian values."
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"For the painting, I was quite inspired by a few different Hawaiian core values such as Kuleana (the privilege and responsibility to take care of the land and each other) as well as Mālama (to protect and care for the land and people as well). Though these words may be similar, they go together as complementary pieces. In the painting, I wanted to show the privilege of taking care of the bird and the care that goes into it. For the piece, instead of mainly focusing on the birds, I went with the overall focus of the ʻāina and how one's ability to give kindness has a bigger impact on the environment than it seems. I also wanted to show how these birds could go unseen as they are an endangered species and how it is in a sense small, as it is endemic to the islands and found nowhere else. Hopefully people can tell which mountains were referenced as I tried to paint the likeness of The Valley of the Kings. It's a very spiritual and culturally significant place and since no Hawaiian moorhens live on Hawaiʻi Island anymore I wanted to paint them somewhere very significant to Hawaiʻi since both need to be preserved and respected. Lastly, I wanted to paint a child as well to encompass and express these Hawaiian values."
