New Website

Aloha!

Very excited to announce that I have just published a new website! It includes a gallery, free videos, and a place to shop for both prints and originals, and more!

It also now hosts my new blog, so if you'd like to keep up with what I'm painting and enjoying in Hawaii, please come visit and subscribe to the blog there.

MelaniePruittArt.com

Mahalo! And A Hui Hou!

#StayHome - Photo Shoot

Well... here we are... in the midst of pandemic 2020. Every one is instructed to "Stay Home". Hawaii has imposed a 14 day quarantine for arrivals and for inter-island travel.

My husband, whom I refer to as my business manager, has been furloughed. All the galleries carrying my artwork are now closed. So... making lemonade out of lemons, my business manager is hard at work on a an upgrade to my website, with shop included!!

I am so excited... it is looking SO good!

Yesterday, we did a photo shoot in our own backyard to have some photos for the website! I don't tend to enjoy looking at pictures of myself. But I am super happy with how these came out!

My favorite is the first one with the ukulele - one of my favorite pastimes. Bill's favorite is the one of me at my painting table. Which one is your favorite?

 

Use the contact form if you'd like to know when the new website goes live! I'll send you an email with link. Should be in the next week or so. 

Hope you are taking time to nourish your heart and soul in this trying time. 

Much Aloha

Rest Your Soul - Underwater Hawaii

What crazy times we're all going through right now!! If you're anything like me, the first thing we want to do in the morning is check the news. I was finding that even though we are safe and isolated, the stress was really getting to me. I started limiting my news intake.

And I got this idea of going through all the videos I've taken here in Hawaii, to create relaxing, soul refreshing videos.

On my Instagram account, I've started an IGTV series called "Rest Your Soul".  I wrote: "In these uncertain times,  our minds are so filled with news, fears, and sadness, that we need to take time to rest our minds and our hearts. Use these videos to take time out to rest your soul with the glories of God's creation. From Hawaii, to you, with love."

Here is the first one. I hope it helps you take a deep breath.

I hope to create a lot more and will add a page link so you can find them easily. If you enjoyed this, let me know in the comments! I'm thinking of creating longer ones that I will offer to email for free.

Blessing and Hui Hou Kakou

My Personality in my Art

How does an artist find "their style"? If you study the lives of even famous, recognizable artists, like Van Gogh or Degas, you will find paintings that don't look like the typical art you expect to see from them.

Sometimes, this is because they are early works. It takes a lot of time for an artist to both develop skill, and put themselves into their work, rather than "copying" the styles they've been taught.

Skill and knowledge is important for a good artist. But so is personality and soul.

Another reason you can find a variety of styles and media done by a single artist is that artists pour themselves into their pieces. And every person I know has a multitude of aspects to their personality that don't ALL come out in EVERY painting!

I am a great example of that. After a long journey of learning technique I am finally to a wonderful place where I can express my personality in my art.

I am serious, and focused. You can see this part of my personality reflected in my serious study of watercolor. My watercolor paintings take the most time. I carefully add glaze after glaze, blending colors to achieve an effortless look. The finishing touches to bring it "to life" can days, and sometimes weeks.







I am also playful, fun loving, and free spirited! My playful side loves both color, and partially abstract art. After a serious focused watercolor, I feel a little like a child who is ready for recess. I need to play!! I need to run outside, throw my arms out, twirl and laugh! Thus, my "Ho'olaule'a" series was born! These paintings have also included a journey of studying technique, but when I create these paintings, I just feel like I am having fun and letting loose!


Another part of my personality feels things deeply and expresses feeling in everything I do.  I am touched deeply by the earth and creation around me. I continually marvel at the skies here in Hawaii. My heart leaps as I see the wildlife. I get so excited counting all the shades of blue in the ocean water. Every morning before the sun has risen, I open my bedroom window to take in the smells of the Hawaii air because it makes my heart soar! It wakes me up and prepares me for the day better than coffee!
I am an expressionist painter.

My Hawaii Nei paintings aren't about technique. They are about feeling. Each one is a bit different. It's all about something that has touched me, something that has made my imagination soar... something that speaks "Hawaii".

It's so tempting for us, as artists, to stuff or squelch an aspect of our personality in favor of producing what is "popular". We are all, as professional artists, wanting to make a living. But we all also need to be ourselves. This is why you will see a variety of painting styles for any artist you enjoy. We all want to paint what sells... but we also all need to express our true selves through our art!

Fresh off my Easel

I do SO love watercolor.... but sometimes it can cause me such headaches!

Bill and I fell in love with the Vireya that grow and bloom in the Hilo Zoo. (I'll do a post soon about the zoo itself. It's a wonderful place to visit!) Having lived for many years in the Pacific Northwest, we had seen and grown rhododendrons for many years. But the brightness and colors of these tropical rhododendrons is amazing!

A friend, who grows and shares many plants gave us our first Vireya. I'm sure it won't be our last. It brings a spot of sunshiny brightness to a shaded spot near our coconut trees.

But, back to watercolor headaches....

This first picture is from my work desk. The painting was almost complete, but... I had one leaf that was totally wrong. Can you find it? Right there in the center right...

The painting sat for weeks, as I completed the surrounding areas and I debated and debated what I could do. I even set it aside to work on some mini paintings. I tried a bunch of changes to the shadows... but it was just no good. The problem was the shape of the leaf.

If this painting was acrylic or oil, I'd just paint over the spot and straighten the edge that was causing problems. But you can't do that with watercolor. With great trepidation, because the step I was about to take could totally ruin this painting and cause me to have to scrap it... I began working on removing the leaf.

I used a variety of techniques... applying water, magic eraser, more water, careful scrubbing with a special brush. As I went, I had to be very careful not to ruin the paper or it wouldn't be re-paintable.

What do you think of the final result?

I didn't scrap this painting! Though I haven't titled it or put it up for sale yet, I'm pretty happy with how it portrays the brightness and joy our tropical Vireya bring us.


 Aloha til next post!

Ho'olaule'a Monsterra

Ho'olaule'a in Hawaii is a fun festive gathering of family and friends. It can be a gathering of ohana, or even a huge community festival! There's music, and food, laugher, and fun!

Bill and I have often enjoyed going to the Ho'olaule'a at Uncle Roberts in Kalapana. This Wednesday evening gathering is enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike! The Kalapana Band plays, there is dancing, a Kava bar, and FOOD! The pathway is lined with food vendors. You can find anything from pulled pork sandwiches, French crepes, Filipino Lumpia, Mochi and more!! It's always hard to decide what we will eat, but we do have some favorites. I never miss Bananarama Bakery and the delicious cakes and desserts!

AND, as a side note. If you visit Uncle Roberts in Kalapana, at the back of the parking lot you will see "House Of Fire". It is a wonderful Art Gallery featuring, not only the beautiful pottery work of the two owners, but also artwork from many local artists. I have artwork for sale in this gallery.

This painting is a part of a series I am doing titled "Ho'olaulea" because they are bright, fun and festive. Created with fluid acrylics, they feature subtle textures, fun colors (a bit of the Bohemian in me comes out) and a unique abstract feel.

This one features a Monsterra leaf - often called a swiss cheese leaf for it's unique holes and patterns. They are HUGE leaves... and even flower and fruit! However, the fruit is a bit scary to me... as it can be deadly if eaten before it's ripe. I have yet to try it, though I am tempted because it apparently tastes wonderful!

The original painting is done on a canvas panel. It is 5"x7", but we do have larger prints for sale. Watch for prints available in my Etsy Shop, but better yet, visit one of the Art Galleries where my art is for sale on Big Island Hawaii!

A hui hou

Maku'u Friend

Maku'u Friend - Original Watercolor (c) Melanie Pruitt

The green sea turtle, known as a Honu in Hawaii, is an iconic figure for the Hawaiian Islands. What a thrill it is for visitors to see them close to shore and to swim with them in the shallow waters of our reefs.

Honu are an endangered species and protected. I am often dismayed to see tourists chasing down turtles trying to touch them or feed them. For those excited to see honu, like I am, be content with keeping your distance. When swimming, just relax, the turtles will approach if they are comfortable.

I love swimming and snorkeling with turtles. They bob and glide and look so effortless in their movements. And yet, if you've ever seen them swim past you, you know how agile they are and how quickly they can move!

But, I also love to watch them from the black lava cliffs on the East side of Hawaii Island. One of my favorite spots is Maku'u point where I love to walk the lava cliffs. After walking for a bit, I will often find a spot to sit at the edge of the cliff and stare out at the ocean, quieting my heart and mind. It's the perfect spot to take time to meditate and reflect.

Maku'u Point (c) Melanie Pruitt

I enjoy the solitude, but I am never alone. There is always a honu, or two or five to enjoy! At first, they are difficult to spot. But take the time to watch and you begin seeing them surfing the waves, or popping their heads up for a big breath of air before heading down to partake in their favorite meal - limu (red seaweed) The longer I sit and watch, the more of them I see!

I titled this original watercolor, "Maku'u Friend". It takes us on an imaginary dive down into the waters with them as they gracefully navigate the ocean.

This is an original watercolor painting using a variety of texturing techniques and some wonderful granulating watercolor paints to create a bright colorful, textured, underwater scene.

Be sure to look for Maku'u Friend prints when visiting any of the Art Galleries where my art can be found. Prints are available on archival watercolor paper, as well as beautiful mounted aluminum prints, and stretched canvas giclee prints. You can also purchase prints in my Etsy Shop.



Live Aloha!

A Hui Hou

Signature Symbol

You may notice that many of the art pieces are signed with my name and this symbol...

and you may be wondering what it means! Every piece of art I create here in Hawaii will have this symbol on it.

I thought long and hard about a symbol I wanted to use in conjunction with my signature. This is a combination of two things.

First, the top part is a Koru. It's a Maori symbol fashioned after the coil of a new fern stem. I shaped mine to look like the Uluhe fern which is native and grows all over Hawaii. (I also liked that it kind of looks like a P for my last name)

I chose the Koru shape based on its meaning. It typically represents new life, a fresh start or new beginnings. But it also represents tranquility, and spirituality.

Having moved from the Pacific NW to Hawaii, I have been give a fresh new start. I left a life of being so sick, I rarely left home and often spent hours in bed. Something about Hawaii reduces the severity of my illness. I am alive again! My life has re-started!

Not only has it revived my body, the 'aina (land) brings my heart such tranquility and peace. My spiritual heart is awake and I meet Ke Akua (God) every day with anticipation at what I will taught, how I will be loved, and especially what part of His beautiful creation I will get to enjoy.

At the bottom of my Koru to complete my art symbol, you see 3 dots. These represent the parts of my God - The Father who loves me, Jesus who brings me to the Father and walks with me daily, and the Holy Spirit who reveals beauty and wisdom to me. The 3 dots also represent the three important aspects of the meaning of the Koru - new life, tranquility and spirituality.

A Hui Hou

Aloha and Welcome!

I am so glad you found my blog!

I am a Hawaii Island Artist, and my artwork is found in galleries around the Big Island of Hawaii.

I have a variety of goals for this blog. Of course, I want to share when I have completed a new piece of artwork and where you can find it. But I also would like to share about my inspiration and creative process. I'm going to enjoy sharing stories of what inspired each painting I have to offer.

In addition, even if you are not an art collector, I think you'll enjoy reading my posts about moving to and living on Hawaii Island. Big Island is the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It has several active volcanoes and 10 of the 14 climate zones of the world. We even have a mountain with snow! I live on the East side, and hope to share some of the unique and fun aspects of living on this island.

I am so inspired by the beauty Ke Akua has created on these islands. I hope to inspire you too!

Please, consider subscribing to my blog! When I add a new post, it will come directly to your email.

You might also consider subscribing to my email list. I WILL NEVER SELL YOU EMAIL!! And, emails will not come very often, but when they do, you will be the first to know of new releases, and receive exclusive coupons and sales.

A Hui Hou!