the haunted works of edwin ushiro

when we met * since time only meant . . .

a few weeks ago, i stumbled upon a collection of artwork in an online gallery and instantly felt a connection to the small kid time escapades and plantation town backdrops of one artist who i just knew had to be from hawaii.

it turns out that edwin ushiro, the la-based artist behind the canvas, is a local boy who grew up on maui and left for the mainland to study illustration at pasadena's art center college of design. after graduation, he joined the ranks of kama'aina working behind the scenes in hollywood (storyboard artist, visual effects consultant) while continuing to use a mix of mediums to recreate scenes evocative of many an island childhood.

art always becomes a bit more intriguing when you discover the maker's perspective and edwin's work is a yet another reminder that looks can be deceiving if the viewer doesn't go beyond the first glance. a few clicks around his website revealed that just below the surface of these seemingly idyllic paintings lay the spooky worlds whispered about around campfires and sleepovers. those same obake stories that chill(ed) many of us to the bone sparked edwin's fascination with the paranormal which have become the inspiration behind many of his pieces.

when everything really mattered

edwin's fan base has grown after only a few appearances at galleries around los angeles and his newest work will make its debut at his solo exhibit, while tides guide you back home, at project:gallery in culver city this weekend.

red dots seem to be a familiar sight when edwin's art hits the market, however his work seems to have somehow slipped under the radar of the hawaii art scene. hopefully, that will be remedied soon but until then a few clicks will allow you to take a peek here - buy prints here - and order wallpaper here (all the way from spain so beware the exchange rate).

so/cal readers are invited to stop by project:gallery and join edwin at the opening reception saturday evening. hope to see you there!

• when: sat, jul 12th - 7p to 10p
• where: 8545 washington blvd, culver city
• show dates: sat, jul 12th - sat, aug, 9th

p.s. stay in the loop via edwin's blog.

niko art studio

max the alien *pepper

way back when, big island artist nicole holi was one of the very first etsy finds shared with h|h readers, and i am happy to report that, after taking a breather from crafting, niko art studio has made its long awaited return to everyone's favorite indie emporium.

in addition to a fresh batch of handmade toys and figurines, nicole recently introduced her very own rubber stamp line featuring simple but adorable line drawings that crafters and scrapbookers have found irresistible (her sweetie even makes the woodblocks for each stamp).

hobo cat & the tuna sandwich

niko art studio is also stocked with more traditional forms of art making from original artwork to archival prints of nicole's fanciful if idiosyncratic illustrations.

click over to the etsy shop to take a peek at all of nicole's creations.

p.s. welcome back nicole!

isis godfrey-byrne show

artist isis godfrey-byrne recently sent along word of her upcoming summer show at cedar street galleries featuring a fresh batch of those dreamy landscapes shared with readers last april. stop by and say hello during the opening reception on friday evening &/or click over to the gallery's website the day of the show to take a peek at isis's new work online.

• when: fri, jun 20th - 5:30p to 8p
• where: cedar street galleries, 817 cedar street
• show dates: fri, jun 20th to sun, jul 20th

maneki neko roundup

the jumping off point for this little roundup of maneki neko were these amazing chocolate lucky cat confections from suedy's koo-ki sushi of california (via love notes). with maneki neko beckoning passersby all around hawaii, i dashed off to etsy to find a few crafty alternatives that put a twist on this island tradition in unexpected ways:

1 - homemade zen offers custom amigurumi creations or pick up your sticks and diy with a handy crochet pattern.

2 - i love the idea of a maneki neko wall sticker in place of the traditional ceramic statue (available in 60 colors from sweeetnothing).

3 - or perhaps a limited edition framed print by artist maeve donohue.

4 - take your luck mobile with a petite cell phone charm from bndesign.

5 - button boutique's maneki neko ponytail holders are a sweet accessory for your little one.

fresh flavors of surf show

fresh

yoo hoo! chinatown boardroom is kicking off a solo show filled with new work by north shore artist heather brown (she of those captivating glassy waves featured last month) with an opening reception this evening. and, no worries if something more pressing has dibs on your twilight hours since the fresh flavors of surf exhibit will be up for a little art appreciation all may long.

• when: tonight, 6p to 8p
• where: 1160 nu'uanu avenue
• show dates: today to sat, may 31st