the return of mr. ushiro

if you call la home or find yourself in so/cal in the next few weeks, hele over to lebasse projects which is hosting a new solo exhibit from maui-born artist edwin ushiro. since his artwork was featured last summer, edwin's fan base has continued to flourish with appearances at comic-con and art amsterdam filling his 2009 schedule.

one of the reasons to crush on edwin's artwork is his fascinating perspective of growing up in hawaii which he continues to explore in softly encompassing the womb. the mixed media moments from childhood skip from ethereal reflections of sweeter memories to reconstructed obake tales that hint of a more ominous side of the islands unfamiliar to tourists on holiday but whispered on playgrounds and across kama'aina campfires since small kid time.

time therefore remained idle

after its given all you wanted

i drift away silently

while hawaii continues to wait for an exhibit of its own, all are welcome to the opening reception tomorrow evening in la which will also feature the work of japanese artist ryuichi ogino. hope to see you there!

• when: sat, sep 12th - 7p to 10p
• where: lebasse projects, 6023 washington blvd, culver city
• show dates: sat, sep 12th to sat, oct 3rd
• gallery hours: wed to sat, 11a to 6p

p.s. click over to daily du jour at 3p pst (12p hst) today for a live streaming interview with edwin.

malia mills swim 2009

pucker strawberry fields

whether your beach body issue is coverage or curves, ny-based swimwear architect malia mills (who may be the first hawaii-born designer to be inducted into the cfda) has a suit designed to flatter no matter your shape or size. the new collection recently hit the online shop with looks ranging from urban sophisticate with a minimum of fuss to pinup glamour complete with flirty shirring and cinches.

since malia was last featured, the eponymous label has expanded its seasonless offerings with a swoon-worthy selection of frocks for readers who covet city girl coverups. plus, a girls swim line also made its debut with the option to rock a matching mother & daughter set (phone order only).

more peeks below . . .

pleated flirt & majorette

dreamboat

diana * marais * tie me up

in happy news, the coconut wire sent along word that malia mills is returning to los angeles this week with the opening of an outpost at the brentwood country mart. 'tis the closest shop to the islands, so next time you find yourself in lala-land, hele over for a personalized fitting and the chance to scoop up jewelry from bliss lau, yet another local girl designer based back east.

• where: 225 26th street, santa monica
• shop hours: mon to sun, 11a to 6p

you can, of course, shop online or click over to the stockist list to locate a brick and mortar shop near you.

p.s. the bittersweet brown colorway is being retired so if you splurge on a new suit you can score one in b.brown for 50% off. click here for more details.

{update | feb 13th: the malia mills 'ohana sent over an exclusive $50 coupon just for h|h readers. enjoy the extra savings by mon, aug 31st.}

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.