Volcano Art Center will host three days of arts and cultural events between April 10 and 12 in honor of the annual Merrie Monarch Festival.
A lei making workshop with Randy Lee will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 10. Lee uses a variety of natural materials to fashion lei from ferns, leaves and flowers that he gathers from the rainforests of Panaewa.
A print and book signing with Caren Loebel-Fried will be held from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. on April 11. Known for beautiful illustrations of the legends and myths of Hawaii and the natural world, Loebel-Fried will be on hand with an extensive collection of books, prints, giclees and original pieces to sign.
Also on April 11, teacher-author David Kawika Eyre will sign copies of his book “Kamehameha — The Rise of a King.” Recipient of the Palapala Pookela Award for excellence in Hawaiian culture, the book presents the stories of the boy who became king and the king who became Kanaiaupuni, The Conqueror of the Islands.
Finally, a print and book signing by Dietrich Varez is slated 10 a.m. to 2 p.m on April 12. The renowned Hawaiiana artist will be on hand signing his extensive collection of more than 250 prints and books he has written or illustrated.
The art exhibit “Kuku Kapa” by Micah L.K. Kamohoalii will be displayed through April 19. The solo exhibition features kapa art and artifacts inspired by ancient stories and executed by ancestral memory.
All events will be held on the lanai of the Volcano Art Center Gallery, next to the Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The events are free but park entrance fees apply.
For more information, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.