September 9 - November 3
Artwork Receiving Day: Tuesday, August 29 / 9am-6pm @ Hui No’eau
Opening Reception: Friday, September 8th / 5-8pm
In-Person Juror Walkthrough: Thursday, September 14th / 5pm
Jurors: Kirk Kurokawa, Visual Artist, and Scott Fisher, PHD, Director of ʻĀina Stewardship at Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
TALK STORY THURSDAYS
The Hui & East Maui Watershed Partnership will host a different industry leader from the field of conservation. Let’s talk about conservation on Maui at the Hui!
September 21st at 5pm: Zach Pezzillo, Technician for Maui Nui Plant Extinction Prevention Program
October 12th at 5pm: Michael Walker - State Fire Protection Forester, DLNR/DOFAW
October 19th at 5pm: Keahi Bustamente, Maui Nui Program Coordinator for Hawaiʻi Invertebrate Program, DLNR/DOFAW
November 2nd at 5pm: Dr. Arthur Medeiros, Program Manager for Auwahi Forest Restoration Project
ABOUT MĀLAMA WAO AKUA
Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center in collaboration with East Maui Watershed Partnership (EMWP) brings you Mālama Wao Akua (Caring for the Realm of the Gods) – a juried art exhibition celebrating the native species of Maui Nui (Maui, Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, Kaho‘olawe). We invite Maui artists to explore our watersheds and use their creative talents to raise awareness about the importance of protecting native species.
Selected artwork should be successful in sharing knowledge of the watersheds and native species with others in a meaningful way. Artwork will also be selected based upon a number of criteria, including originality of concept, creativity, technique, professionalism, and presentation. Our hope is that Maui artists of all ages will explore our watersheds and express the value that native species have within our daily life. This exhibition is sure to provide powerful visuals that celebrate Maui’s native plant and animal life. A jurying team with expertise in both art and conservation will select from among the pool of entries. Works in any medium are welcome!
Visit https://malamawaoakua.org/ for more information and Adventures for Artist opportunities!
Support provided by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program.
Important Dates
Online Registration: August 15 – 29
Online Priority Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 22nd at midnight
Artwork Receiving Day: Tuesday, August 29th / 9am-6pm (Hui No‘eau)
Selection Notification (via website): by Thursday, August 31st by 6pm
Pick-up of Non-selected Work: Friday, September 1st / 9am-4pm
Pick-up of Selected Work: Saturday, November 4th / 9am-4pm
HOW TO ENTER
1. Complete online registration between Aug. 15 - 29.
Online Registration must be completed PRIOR to dropping off artwork on receiving day
2. Print & fill out artwork labels and attach to the back upper right hand corner of artwork.
3. Drop off artwork on Tuesday, Aug. 29th from 9am-6pm during our artwork receiving day.
TEACHERS
Please use our TEACHER ONLINE ENTRY FORM if you are a teacher entering multiple student submission for Mālama Wao Akua 2023. If you are NOT a teacher part of a class please complete the individual online form here.
The teacher form allows for entry of up to 10 students/entries, if you are submitting more than 10 students/entries please complete the form again with any additional submissions. Students may enter up to 3 pieces each.
How Do I Enter My Students/Class?
Complete an online entry form(s) to account for each piece being entered by your students
Complete payment
The youth entry fee is $5 per piece
Attach artwork labels to the back upper right-hand corner of all artwork
Deliver artwork on Receiving Day: Tuesday, August 29th / 9am-6pm / Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center
About the Jurors
Kirk Kurokawa
Kirk Kurokawa is a painter, muralist and artist based in Maui, Hawaii. He received a BFA with distinction in Illustration from the California College of the Arts. Kurokawa’s paintings focus predominantly on the “simple, everyday life moments”. Although he often paints native birds, flowers and locals of Hawaii, he is best known for his portraiture. He has been in every installment of the Schaefer Portrait Challenge, and was awarded the Juror’s Choice Award in 2006 and the People’s Choice Award in 2015. He is also the first and only native Hawaiian to paint the official Portrait of the Governor of the State of Hawaii.
Scott Fisher, PHD – Director of ʻĀina Stewardship at Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
Scott grew up in Kula, and at age 17 enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After his discharge, he studied at Colorado State University. Scott’s graduate work includes an M.A. in Peace Studies with a concentration in Native Hawaiian Strategies of Peacemaking and Reconciliation. His PhD. explored the dynamics of post-conflict recovery in a civil war on the island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, with a particular emphasis on how communities make wise decisions about conflicts over natural resources. Scott also has a graduate degree in ecological restoration, and is currently working on a graduate certificate in sustainable agriculture. Between 2017 and 2019 Scott worked for three summers at the University of Leicester, UK in a research fellowship in Paleoecology.
Since 2003 Scott has worked for the Maui Coastal Land Trust, first as a project manager at the land trust’s 277-acre Waihe‘e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge and is now the Director of ʻĀina Stewardship for Hawai’i Land Trust. In this capacity he has led all aspects of the ecological restoration work conducted by the Land Trust. Scott serves on the Maui/Lana‘i Island Burial Council and works at his 4-acre ‘ulu farm in Waikapū on the weekends.