Live from the Lawn – Maximum Airtime
First Friday, August 1, 2008
Performances from 6:15 to 9 p.m.
Art Galleries Open from 5 to 9 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum
Free Admission

Join us for Maximum Airtime featuring Samadhi Hawai'i performing aerial dances at this special Live from the Lawn event at the Hawai'i State Art Museum for First Friday on August 1st. The museum galleries are open from 5 to 9 p.m. Entertainment is from 6:15 to 9 p.m. The public is invited to this free event.

The extraordinary aerial acrobatic performance group Samadhi Hawai'i will be hanging, twisting and dancing from the beautiful monkeypod trees, with stilt walkers and fire dancers on the lawn below. Kids’ dance company Magic in Motion will start the program at 6:15 p.m., followed by a special appearance by slack key superstar Makana, who will also play live with the aerialists. There will be a Sponge Bob bounce house for the kids. Delicious food and beverages will be on sale from the Downtown @ the HiSAM restaurant, Le Crepe Café, and Soul de Cuba Café.

Upstairs on the second floor, Live from the Lanai features Groove Improv Artists with trumpeter DeShannon Higa, drummer and groove specialist Rod Esteban, Tempo Valley’s surreal singer Paisley, and saxophone and MicroKorg maestro Reggie Padilla from New York City, playing urban jazz from 6.30 to 9 p.m.

The aerial ballet by the four women of Samadhi Hawai'i will take your breath away. This unique artwork requires the grace and precision of ballet, the flexibility of yoga, and the whole-body strength, balance and technique of an acrobat. The four core Samadhi Hawai'i dancers – Andrea Torres, Chandra Miars, Jamie Nakama, and Nicole Young – will showcase their skills at the Hawai'i State Art Museum.

They will first perform four aerial solos on ring and “tissue” (silk rope), then they will do a combined piece with all four aerialists performing simultaneously with live guitar accompaniment from Makana. The dancers rely solely on their own skill, strength, and presence of mind for safety. Depending on the length of the rope and the style of the fall, the dancers freefall anywhere from 10 to 20 feet. The performances are both beautiful and exhilarating.

Andrea Torres grew up dancing ballet, modern, jazz, and African dances in Brazil. In Hawai'i, she performed samba in Waikiki and worked with major dance groups like Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre, Ballet Hawai'i, and Tau Dance Theater. Her aerial career began in 1998 when she was hired by Ulalena on Maui. After several months of training, including three months in Montreal, Torres took her dance background into the air. The Friends of HiSAM are delighted to showcase the result.

Makana, who will provide musical accompaniment for the group aerial performance, is one of the hottest new musical artists emerging from Hawai'i. A protégé of the slack key masters, he is considered to be one of the youngest living masters of Hawaiian slack key guitar and a pioneer in his own style of contemporary world rock. Makana has opened for greats like Sting and Santana, released four highly acclaimed and diverse albums, and is well received by audiences worldwide, often with standing ovations.

Makana’s music transcends category and trend by integrating elements of folk, rock, ethnic, classical, bluegrass, jazz, traditional, ambient and Hawaiian slack key in gentle to commanding arrangements. The result is innovation and the charting of new sonic frontiers with deep ties to tradition. Ki Ho'alu, or “slack key”, is the indigenous Hawaiian art form that is the foundation upon which Makana creates ground-breaking original music and reanimates classics. He attributes his command of the guitar to over a decade of soaking up the licks and influence of Hawai'i’s treasured masters of an art form older than the blues.

Performances on the Front Lawn

6:15-6:45 p.m. Magic in Motion
7-7:30 p.m. Loco Moco stilt walkers and jugglers
7:30-9 p.m. Makana and Samadhi Hawai'i
5:30-9 p.m. Sponge Bob Bounce House (kids only)

Performances on Second Floor Lanai Lounge

6:30-9 p.m. Groove Improv Artists with DeShannon Higa

Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Downtown @ the HiSAM. On the front lawn, they will be serving pan bagna sandwiches (cheese and meat or vegetarian croissants). Downtown @ the HiSAM restaurant will also be open for dinner on a first come, first served basis, serving Spanish tapas (pupus). Also on the Lawn, Le Crepe Café will offer delicious sweet and savory crepes from their cart, and Soul de Cuba Café will tempt all with Cuban roast pork sandwiches – tender, succulent roast pork slow cooked in garlic and lemon juices on a bun with BBQ sauce.

Don’t forget to see the art on display at the Hawai'i State Art Museum from 5 to 9 p.m. In the Ewa Gallery, He Alo A He Alo: Face to Face, Visions & Portraits of Hawai'i features visionary artwork and a stunning collection of portraits from the Art in Public Places Collection. In the Downtown @ the HiSAM Gallery, Palolo Kids & Friends features black and white photographs of local youngsters made in the mid-1970s by Eric Yanagi and Francis Haar.

The Shop @ HiSAM, the museum store on the first floor, will be featuring several local artists. Honolulu artists Dexter Doi and Carol D'Angelo will be painting and Maui artist Claudia Coonen will demonstrate her woodblock printing. Also from Maui will be Joan Mercer who makes beautiful and unique everlasting leis and other jewelry, and Wendy Hagedorn who designs contemporary sterling silver jewelry. A print of the new Father Damien of Moloka'i painting by Peggy Chun is now available at the museum shop. Artists will be here to talk story from 6 to 9 p.m.

This free event is presented by the Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the Friends of the Hawai'i State Art Museum, and the LEF Foundation. All programs are subject to change without notice. This event is produced by Tim Bostock Productions and the Hawai'i State Art Museum.

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is located at the No. 1 Capitol District Building at 250 South Hotel Street across from the State Capitol. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The aerial acrobatic dances by Samadhi Hawai'i are both beautiful and exhilaratiing.

Each of the four dancers from Samadhi Hawai'i will perform an aerial solo at HiSAM.

Then all four dancers will be in the air simultaneously for a group performance.

Slack key superstar Makana will play live at the Hawai'i State Art Museum.

Groove Improv Artists will play urban jazz at the Lanai Lounge on the second floor.

DeShannon Higa plays with Groove Improv Artists.

Dexter Doi will be painting at the Shop @ HiSAM.

Carol D'Angelo and other artists will be at the gift shop.

Second Saturday
Working with Craftsmen – Hawai'i Craftsmen
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Art Activities from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Art Galleries Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum
Free Admission

Join us for Working with Craftsmen, a Second Saturday event at the Hawai'i State Art Museum on Saturday, August 9th. Come and meet the Hawai'i Craftsmen – a talented group of artists who work with clay, wood, fibers, and more! Learn to shape clay and knit. Watch professional artists turn wood, throw pottery, and weave baskets. Art galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Art activities take place from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. (while supplies last). The public is invited to this free event. It’s fun for all ages!

While you are at the museum, be sure to visit our gift store Shop @ HiSAM which features Hawai'i-made gifts and goodies. The store is open from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can also enjoy a delicious lunch or refreshments at our restaurant Downtown @ the HiSAM from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Parking at Ali'i Place is only $3 all day on Saturday. Enter the parking lot on the right side of Alakea Street between King Street and South Hotel Street. Free parking at the C&C underground lot at Beretania and Alapai. Metered parking at 'Iolani Palace is $1 per hour. This free event is presented by the Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the Friends of the Hawai'i State Art Museum.

Creepy caterpillars! You can create your own works of art at HiSAM.

Andy Cole of Honolulu Woodturners will give a woodturning demonstration.

Art Lunch Lecture –Tom Klobe
Hawai'i Making a Mark on the International Textile Scene: September 2008 Textile Society of America Biennial Symposium
Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 12 to 1 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, Multipurpose Room
Free Admission

This month’s Art Lunch lecture is entitled Hawai'i Making a Mark on the International Textile Scene: September 2008 Textile Society of America Biennial Symposium. This lecture will be held at the Hawai'i State Art Museum in the Multipurpose Room on Tuesday, August 26th at noon. The public is invited to this free event.

Tom Klobe, award-winning former Director of the University of Hawai'i Art Gallery, is co-chair of the 2008 Textile Society of America Biennial Symposium in Honolulu. He will speak about plans to make this event one of the biggest international textile events ever.

Museums and galleries throughout the city will be presenting over 25 textile exhibitions that support the theme of the symposium, "Textiles as Cultural Expressions." Included will be textiles rarely on view because of their fragile nature.

Museum curators and textile experts are coming from around the world to participate in the symposium and to experience Hawai'i’s unique and diverse cultural traditions and their association with textiles. Hear first hand about this exciting event.

We invite you to join us for our next Art Lunch lecture entitled Liz Train – Fiber Hawai'i: In, Of and About Fiber to be held on September 30th. The lectures are held on the last Tuesday of every month from 12 to 1 p.m.

Tom Klobe is at “Art Lunch” on Tuesday, August 26th.

Learn about textiles like this tapestry entitled "Avatar" by Jay Wilson.

Free Workshops on HSFCA Biennium Grants
to be Held Statewide in August and September
Application Deadline is Friday, November 21, 2008

The Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (HSFCA) will conduct a series of free workshops on the application process for its Biennium Grants Program to be held statewide in August and September. Grants will be awarded for a biennium (two-year) period for fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 for programming beneficial to Hawai'i in culture, the arts, history, and/or the humanities.

In the workshops, the HSFCA staff will discuss the grants program and the eligibility and application requirements. All workshops begin at 10 a.m. and last approximately 1½ hours. Technical assistance may be requested on site or by appointment. The workshops are free and reservations are not required. Both new and previous applicants are encouraged to attend. Call 586-0302 for more information.

Schedule of Grants Workshops

Fri., Aug. 22, Hawai'i State Art Museum, Honolulu
Mon., Aug. 25, State Bldg., Rooms ABC, Lihue, Kaua'i
Fri., Aug. 29, Donkey Mill Art Center, Holualoa, Hawai'i
Fri., Sept. 5, State Bldg., Room C, Hilo, Hawai'i
Tues., Sept. 23, State Bldg., Room B, Wailuku, Maui
Thurs., Sept. 25, Hawai'i State Art Museum, Honolulu

More information about the application process will be announced soon. The application deadline is Friday, November 21, 2008, 4:30 p.m.

Free grants workshops will be held statewide in August and September.

ARTS FIRST Professional Development Workshops for Teaching Artists

Arts Integration: What's the Objective?
Presenter: Lenore Blank Kelner
Thursday, August 14, 2008, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, Multipurpose Room
Free Admission for Teaching Artists

Teaching artists are invited to join Lenore Blank Kelner for this informative workshop entitled Arts Integration: What's the Objective? Delve into authentic arts integration. Learn how to set objectives that are meaningful to the classroom teacher and the teaching artist, and discover how they lead the way to reflection and assessment. Kelner is an actress, director, playwright, educator, drama specialist, and author. For the past 25 years she has worked with teachers and students nationwide integrating drama into ongoing classroom instruction. She is the recipient of the 2004 Creative Drama Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. For more information on the workshop and how to pre-register, click on Arts Integration: What's the Objective? Workshop Flyer, email marcia@hawaiiartsalliance.org, or call 533-2787.

The Art of Lesson Planning Workshop
Presenter: Jamie Simpson Steele
Saturday, September 20, 2008, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, Multipurpose Room
Free Admission for Teaching Artists

Teaching artists are invited to participate in this workshop entitled The Art of Lesson Planning. Presenter Jamie Simpson Steele will discuss the often mysterious worlds of Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards (HCPS III) and benchmarks, General Learner Outcomes (GLOs), assessment, differentiation, and learning procedures. Participants will look at why careful planning is important and how it can help you enhance student learning. For more information on the workshop and how to pre-register, click on The Art of Lesson Planning Workshop Flyer, email marcia@hawaiiartsalliance.org, or call 533-2787.

Lenore Blank Kelner presents “Arts Integration: What's the Objective?” workshop.

Jamie Simpson Steele presents “The Art of Lesson Planning” workshop.

Local and National Arts Advocacy Websites

The Hawai'i Arts Alliance cultivates, sustains and celebrates all the arts as essential to a complete education and central to a vibrant community. The Alliance is currently shaping an email database of members interested in receiving arts legislation and community arts news. You can join their arts community efforts by becoming a member of the Hawai'i Arts Alliance and the Arts Alliance Action Network. For information, call 533-2787 or download Membership Form.

Americans for the Arts is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With 45 years of service, they are dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. For more information on arts advocacy, visit their Arts Action Center.

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) is the national membership organization of the nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies. In coalition with other national groups, NASAA advocates for public support of the arts and provides a variety of resources for state, local and national advocates. Download free Advocacy Tools at or take an Advocacy Quiz.

Governor’s Enews

Stay connected to what’s happening with state government in Hawai'i by visiting the Governor’s Website. See the latest weekly news update or get a free subscription, by clicking on Governor’s Enewsletters.

See Our Art Exhibitions
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, 2nd Floor
Free Admission

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is dedicated to presenting the largest and finest collection of works by Hawai'i artists that celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural legacy of Hawai'i.

In the Ewa Gallery, He Alo A He Alo Face to Face, Visions & Portraits of Hawai'i features visionary artwork and portraits from the Art in Public Places Collection, which includes over 5,000 works of art by more than 1,400 artists that have been acquired since the collection began in 1967. Inspirational themes in the installation revolve around rediscovering Hawaiian heritage, Asian roots, social consciousness, and cultural traditions.

He Alo A He Alo is an 'olelo no'eau, an expression that means coming into communion with someone else. In this show, the viewer interacts with the fascinating world of other community members. He Alo A He Alo celebrates both the subject of the portrait and the work of the artist.

In the Downtown @ the HiSAM Gallery, Palolo Kids & Friends features black and white photographs of local youngsters made in the mid-1970s by Eric Yanagi and Francis Haar. The photographs show children playing and hanging out in their Palolo community. Thirty-five years later, these black and white images are now a window to a moment in time when kids could be kids and friends were forever.

“Portrait de Phyllis Dobson” by Diego Rivera

“Hawaiian Boy on the Beach” by Francis Haar

Downtown @ the HiSAM
Lunch, Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
First Friday, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, 1st Floor

Looking for a great place for lunch? Try out Downtown @ the HiSAM, the restaurant at the Hawai'i State Art Museum. Proprietor Ed Kenney, also the owner of Town restaurant in Kaimuki, brings his “local first, organic whenever possible, and with aloha always,” approach to the downtown area. Located on the first floor of the museum, the restaurant serves lunch with deli-style takeout, casual in-house dining, and al fresco seating on the lanai by the swimming pool. The restaurant may also be booked for private functions. In addition to its regular hours, the restaurant is open on First Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, call 536-5900. Lunch reservations are recommended for the popular dining spot. The restaurant was honored by Conde Nast Traveler magazine on their 2008 Hot List of restaurants. Click here to see their review of Downtown @ the HiSAM.

Downtown @ the HiSAM is a popular lunch spot.

The take-out counter offers delicious bentos.

Shop @ HiSAM
Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
First Friday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, 1st Floor

Visit Shop @ HiSAM, the museum gift store. The store is managed by the Friends of HiSAM and operated by Na Mea Hawai'i and features Hawai'i-made art, gifts, and goodies. It’s the perfect place to find a unique gift for that special someone. The store offers a selection of art, jewelry, estate-grown Kona coffees, and much more.

Join the Friends of HiSAM

We invite you to join the Friends of the Hawai'i State Art Museum (HiSAM). By simply joining, you can help maintain a free, public institution dedicated to the art and people of Hawai'i. Members will also receive discounts at Downtown @ the HiSAM or Shop @ HiSAM. Join by phone by calling 536-2644, or you can download a brochure which includes an application form by clicking on Friends of HiSAM Brochure.

HiSAM Volunteer Opportunities

Help our visitors enjoy our museum! We need enthusiastic, outgoing people to assist museum visitors and help them appreciate our current exhibitions. We encourage you to volunteer if you have an interest or background in the arts and care about our Hawai'i community.

Volunteers are needed in the following areas:
Gallery Attendant – Assist visitors in the galleries.
Information Desk Attendant – Greet visitors.
Docent – Conduct tours of art exhibitions.
Education Assistant – Help with education programs.
Special Events Assistant – Assist staff with events.

To apply, download HiSAM Volunteer Application Form, call 586-9959, or email hisamvolunteers@gmail.com.

HiSAM Facilities Rental Program
Hold Your Special Event or Party
at the Hawai'i State Art Museum

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is available for rentals for special events and parties. The rental options include: Option 1 - Front Lawn, Option 2 - Second Floor Courtyard, or Option 3 - Front Lawn and Second Floor Courtyard.

The rental brochure is available for download here HiSAM Rental Program Brochure. Anyone interested in renting the facilities may request a HiSAM Rental Information Packet which contains a Rental Handbook, Rental Request Form, and HiSAM brochure.

For more information or to request the packet, contact the HiSAM Visitor Services Manager via email at hisamrentals@gmail.com or call 586-9959.

The HiSAM front lawn may be rented for parties.

Hold your special event on the second floor lanai.

Visit the HSFCA Website

Visit our website www.hawaii.gov/sfca for news on HSFCA grants, programs, services, and events, plus information on Hawai'i State Art Museum events and art exhibitions.

HSFCA Online Publications

For more information on HSFCA programs, services, and events, click on Publications and Documents which has copies of HSFCA Enews, Art Reach newsletters, HSFCA Annual Reports, and more!

Hawai'i Arts and Culture Calendar

Want to know what’s happening with the arts in Hawai'i? Check out the Hawai'i Arts and Culture Calendar section of our website. It lists current activities and events presented by Hawai'i’s nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Click on these links to Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Literary Arts, Media Arts, and General Arts and Humanities.

Sign Up for HSFCA Enews

If a friend has sent you HSFCA Enews, and you would like to sign up for future broadcasts, please click here.

Visit our website at www.hawaii.gov/sfca.

Art Reach Newsletter, Spring 2008