Have you ever wanted to see where “the magic happens” for your favorite Maui artist? The annual Maui Open Studios tour lets you peek into the homes and studios of some of our greatest artists. This year I was able to visit five Haiku artists during the second weekend of the program.
This self-guided tour makes for a fun adventure through some of Maui’s most rural areas. We followed the signs to get us there:
Our first stop was at the historic Pauwela Pineapple Cannery where we met three artists.
Tracey Harrap, also known as Goldie, makes fun, bright ocean-inspired graphics like these:
She also does wonderfully detailed and fun cartoons of some of Maui’s most famous locations. Recognize any of these places?
Besides having individual prints available, Goldie has also put these images into a fun calendar called Maui Magic that shares the history, stories and legends of these areas. You can view her website at Maui Art Work.
Sharing the gallery space with Goldie was painter and photographer Ray Masters. The star and featured model for much of Ray’s work is his adopted dog Sevin.
Doesn’t this dog have a great life? He didn’t miss out on the action at the gallery either. Enter Super Star Sevin.
Just down the hall we were treated to a visit with a very talented woodworker, David Thomas Ryan. Dave showed us a beautifully crafted Koa wood table that he had made. Besides furniture he also makes custom staircases for homes, many of which are featured on his website.
Next we drove out to Peahi to visit with the incomparable glass blower Rick Strini. I kept asking myself “how does he do that??”
Isn’t it just amazing?
The next leg of our journey took us winding our way up Ulumalu Road and through the rural yet well-known landmark of the Five Corners crossroads. In the middle of the intersection on a little hill covered in overgrown grass was a sign pointing us in the right direction. I love it.
Spar Street showcased some beautiful pieces in his home studio. The first one caught my eye as we’re enjoying the Winter Olympics right now. But I also especially liked his ocean wave.
After so many exciting, interesting, and informative visits, we decided it was time for one final stop.
At Flatbread the menu covers are made with art from local school kids. I thought that was a great end to our art tour!
The weekend of February 22nd & 23rd is Weekend #3 and the final weekend of tours. Featured artists are all on the South and West sides of Maui. Check it out!
The Annual Maui Open Studios Event is produced by Dream World Media LLC, San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
Mamala O Maui 