The Three Mountain Alliance, the Natural Area Reserves System, Wailoa Center and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park announce Hawaii Nei 2016, a juried art exhibition celebrating the native flora and fauna of Hawaii Island.
Amateur and professional artists of all ages are invited to submit works of art celebrating the native plants, animals, and habitats of our beloved island, Hawaii Nei. The exhibition will begin on Nov. 4 with an opening reception at Wailoa Center and continue through Dec. 15.
Each year, Hawaii Nei chooses a featured category to highlight a special species, theme, or event. The 2016 Featured Category is, “National Parks Preserving Pilina.” In celebration of the centennial anniversary of our National Parks, Hawaii Nei invited artists to explore the ways in which Hawaii Island’s National Parks preserve our pilina or connection and love for nature, specifically for our unique and diverse native species.
In addition to the featured category, five resident artists have been selected for an invitational category, “Ohia: Tree of Life.” Artists have been asked to explore current conservation issues, this year focusing on rapid ohia death (ROD), a fungal infection that is killing trees across thousands of acres. Ohia, the foundation of Hawaii’s watersheds and forests, provides significant habitat for so many native species, including Hawaiian honeycreepers. The potential widespread loss of these forests, and the plants and animals that depend on them, will be devastating on a number of levels: ecologically, culturally, and economically.
If interested in submitting a piece to the contest, all artwork must be registered online by Oct. 20 at www.hawaiineiartcontest.org. A photo of the artwork and entry fees are required with registration.
The piece must be original, created in the past two years, and the image must not have been previously shown in any other exhibition, gallery or website. Artwork drop-off dates, times, and locations are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Donkey Mill Art Center in Holualoa and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wailoa Center in Hilo. West Hawaii participants are required to have their items boxed and ready for transport to Hilo.
The exhibition will begin Nov. 4 with a 4:30-5:30 p.m. reception at Wailoa Center in Hilo followed by a formal reception and award ceremony for the adult division from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded along with music, crafts and refreshments and the annual native species costume contest at 5:30 p.m. All ages are welcome to attend.
This year, Hawaii Nei will be visited by an Acquisition Award Committee from the State Foundation for Culture and the Arts. Artwork selected for an Acquisition Award are added to the State Foundationʻs Art in Public Spaces Collection.
Wailoa Center is located at 200 Piopio St. Admission is free and the gallery is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Info: hawaii.nei.art@gmail.com, www.hawaiineiartcontest.org.