From Vancouver Island to Maui; Five Paintings Inspired by Hawaii

Vancouver Island, off Canada’s Pacific Coast, is known for its mild climate and thriving arts community. Not unlike the Hawaiian Island of Maui, both islands inspire paintings of the ocean, the flora and fauna, and laid back vibes created by island life. While you could fit about 17 Maui’s into one Vancouver Island, there are a number of similarities between the islands and the culture. There is a vibrant surf community on both islands, and plentiful rainforest areas for exploring. While the ocean is colder and the sand grey on Vancouver Island, it doesn’t stop us from enjoying water sports of all kinds, just like on Maui. I haver always said that the perfect life would be splitting my time between painting and living in Canada and Hawaii. It is part of the reason I have explored Maui many times, each time coming home with photos, sketches and writing influenced by the time on the tropical Hawaiian gem. It is a place where many artists have escaped to over the years to recharge and immerse themselves in nature. One of my favourite historical painters, Georgia O’Keeffe – visited Maui, Kauai, Oahu, and the Island of Hawaii in 1939 and completed 20 paintings of flowers and landscapes in a span of nine weeks. Maui contemporary art first emerged in 1778 when the early Western explorers visited Hawaii and brought artists to document its striking landscape and unique people. This yielded paintings and drawings from contemporary artists like Jean Charlot, Joseph Sharp, and Robert Dampier. I recently returned again from Maui, with new ideas, birthing new paintings. Here are a five paintings inspired by Maui, surf, and Island Vibes.