Malama Wao Akua
Art Contest prospectus 2009
East Maui Watershed Partnership (EMWP) and Viewpoints Gallery are proud to present Malama Wao Akua 2009 (MWA'09), an artistic celebration of Maui's native flora and fauna. This juried exhibition is opento Maui residents of all ages, both amateur and professional. Since 2004, MWA has fostered relationships between the people of Maui and our precious native ecosystems. According to Hawaiian tradition, the roots and fruits that provide for the next generations come from "Wao Akua", the realm of the gods, the upper forested regions of our watersheds.
A portion of all entry fees and art sales will be donated to EMWP for
the protection of our native Hawaiian rainforests.
Eligibility
If you are a resident of Maui, you can participate. All works must be original one of a kind and not previously shown in any other exhibition, gallery or website. Artworks in any medium and combinations of media are welcome.
Entry Fee: $10 adults; $5 keiki
18 and under.
Stuff that's OK to enter
Artwork in all media are welcome.
The main subject of your piece must be a native landscape
or native species of Maui.
NATIVE = got here BEFORE humans.
Subjects can also be about people working to protect Maui's native species and native habitats, from reef to ridge.
Native coral reef species and waterscapes are eligible
too (remember, a watershed includes
the area between two ridges, reaching from summit
to sea, including the coral reef!)
How can I tell if my subject is a native to
Maui?
Contact EMWP if you have questions about the theme or eligibility of your art.
Stuff that's NOT OK to enter
Polynesian introductions, invasive species, landscapes of
introduced plants and other non-native species are NOT eligible subjects.
Contact Viewpoints
Gallery if your artwork needs special consideration due to size or configuration.
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how to submit
Printable instructions
Bring it with your artwork to Viewpoints Gallery on Tue. October 20, 9am-5pm. Entry forms will also be available that daat the Gallery. All art must be ready for hanging or installation, including attaching wire for framed pieces. Matted work without frames will not be accepted. Jurying will occur after 5pm of the same day. Pick up for non-selected pieces is on Wed. October 21st, 10am-6pm.
Entry fee per artwork is $10 for adults, $5 for keiki. All adult entries that are selected for the show are required to be for sale.
There are four divisions:
Adult
High School (Grades 9-12)
Middle (Grades 6-8)
Elementary (Grades K-5)
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jurying process
Selection Criteria
MWA'08 puts the spotlight on our watersheds and the terrestrial and aquatic native species within, from mauka to makai, including the coral reef (but not the deep ocean). Subjects should portray any native Maui species or landscape, and may also include issues surrounding watershed coservation efforts. Subjects must NOT INCLUDE ANY INVASIVE SPECIES/LANDSCAPES. Hawaiian cultural components or human subjects are acceptable so long as they complement the native flora and fauna theme. A broad range of interpretation and styles is encourages.
MWA'08 encourages artists to learn about Malama Wao Akua - honoring
and protecting the forested upper regions of our island's watersheds.
Selected artwork should be successful in sharing this
knowledge
with others in a meaningful
and provocative way.
Artwork will also be selected based upon a number of criteria, including
originality of concept, creativity, technique, professionalism, and presentation.
Jurors
This yea'rs jurying team is a real marriage of art and science. Printmaker Abigail Romanchak and Jordan Jokiel, coordinator of EMWP, first met on a MWA art hike in 2004. He proposed during a volunteer work trip to Kaho'olawe four years later, and they married this spring. Together, as jurors for MWA 09, Abigail and Jordan bring a strong understanding of the essence of the show - how art on Maui ties into communicating the value of our native watersheds.
ABIGAIL ROMANCHAK
Artist Biography: Abigail received a BFA and MFA in printmaking from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. She has participated in numerous group shows and solo exhibitions in Hawai’i, the Untied States and Internationally. Her work belongs to many public and private collections including Australia National Museum, The Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hanapi Foundation, Jon Hara & Associates, The Four Seasons, Maui, Ritz Carlton, Kapalua and The Maunakea Hotel, Hawaii. She has received multiple awards including Most Outstanding Printmaker, Universtiy of Hawai’i and The John Young Award. Abigail is currently one of ten Hawaii artists included in the Hi’iakaikapoliopele Exhibition at the Schaefer International Gallery at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.
Artist Statement: Abigail sees her prints as a way to empower and assert a Hawaiian sense of identity and to perpetuate Hawaiian culture through art. She believes that native cultures are jeopardized once they stop speaking to people in the present day.
JORDAN JOKIEL
Conservation Biography: Jordan is one of those people who seem to have been born for the outdoors: on the mountain, in the ocean, working, playing, protecting and restoring. In his 16 year career with conservation on the Hawaiian islands, Jordan has worn many hats. His career began with as an intern with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife on Oahu. On Kauai, he was known as the "Ambassador of Kalalau", where he served as a back-country park ranger. On Maui, he worked with the State Department of Land and Natural Resources; with EMWP, Jordan started out as the field supervisor, and has now held the coordinator position for two years.
From brandishing a cane knife to brandishing a keyboard, Jordan's experience in natural resource management and watershed protection, in addition to his flair for aesthetic and artistic appeal, will make for a "solid" show this year.
Number of Pieces Selected
In the adult division, about 30 or so pieces will be selected for display.
The number selected depends on the space available at Viewpoints Gallery.
For the keiki, at least one artist will be selected for display from each division:
High School, Middle School, and Elementary School.
art sales
All selected adult entries are required to be for sale. Keiki entries are not required to be for sale.
If your piece is sold, 10% will go to support EMWP, 45% will go to the
artist and 45% to Viewpoints Gallery.
You can donate your portion of the profits as a tax-deductible gift to
the East Maui Watershed Partnership. Please call us if you would like to
make a donation: 573-6999.
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awards
There are two NEW awards this year!
Rarest Find: awarded to the artist using the most unique species or habitat as their subject
People's Choice: Awarded by votes from gallery visitors
art hikes, volunteer, plein air events
We would love to help you find the inspiration you need! East Maui Watershed Partnership has arranged art hikes, volunteer days, and plein air events all over Maui, with mulitple conservation organizations.
Call us and we will help you find something right for you!
EMWP leads art hikes into Waikamoi Preserve,
a native Hawaiian cloud forest. Walk, examine, sketch, take photographs,
feel the mana of the forest! Art hikes will take place at Waikamoi Preserve and may require carpooling
in 4-wheel drive vehicles.
Call Kat at 573-6999 for dates and details.
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Tips for Teachers
Are you thinking of getting your class involved in this year’s Malama
Wao Akua art contest? We hope so!
Here are some tips that might help! Remember, there is a $5 entry fee
for all entries in the keiki division. Not all artwork entered will be selected for the show. This is a CONTEST.
-
Consider having a contest within your class or
school first,
then enter
the winning pieces from your contest to compete with the entries from other schools and individuals.
-
Invite EMWP to come as a guest speaker.
We will give a presentation about Hawaiian rainforest ecology. Students
build a watershed. Time: 60-90 mintues (flexible).
-
Sign up your class for an art hike.
You provide the transportation, we provide the site and interpretation.
-
Check to make sure your students' entries qualify.
Native birds, insects, plants or landscape of native species of Maui
are OK. Coral reef species OK too. Polynesian introductions and
other non-native
species are NOT OK.
- Have entries display
ready.
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native or not?
Simply put, a native species is any creature that got the the Hawaiian
Islands without the help of humans. They did this in one of three ways:
by Wind, by floating over the ocean Waves, or by flying over using Wings
(or being stuck on a bird's feathers). We call these the three Ws.
If you are unsure about the origins of your subject, contact us by email or phone (573-6999) and we'll help you out. You can also do some research
on your own, via the
internet,
or your local library.
where to go for inspiration
Books
Try your local bookstore and look in the Hawaiiana or Natural History
sections. Below are some exceptional books with great pictures and interpretive
text.
Malama Wao Akua
Remains of a Rainbow
Eco traveler's Guide to Hawaii
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Places to go
Many popular hikes on Maui are actually altered habitats with little or
no native wildlife. Come on a hike with us and travel back in time to a
place filled with the plants, birds, and insects that make Maui unique.
Call 573-6999 to sign up your group for an EMWP hike.
Other places you can hike to that have interpretive information and native
species:
Haleakala National Park
Hawaii Nature Center
Kealia and Kanaha Ponds
Maui Nui Botanical Garden
Maui Ocean Center
Na Ala Hele
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Sites to surf
Native Hawaiian Plant Society
Learn about native plants, and volunteer for service trips
Native Hawaiian Plant Websites
A list of sites put together by the University of HI, Manoa
Birds of a Feather
An article with pictures of native Hawaiian birds
Jack Jeffrey's Photos
Brilliant photographs by this wildlife biologist and photographer
Mike Neal's Photos
Artist and photographer's collection of native bird photos and more
nativehawaiianflora.com
Native Hawaiian Plant Photography
Native Nursery
A plant nursery in Kula that sells native and Polynesian introduced plants. Website has pictures, and you may be able to ask for a tour.
display-ready artwork
Entries must be suitably framed or prepared for presentation and installation
(a stretched canvas with a wrapped edge is considered framed). No wet work
will be accepted.
For 2-dimensional hanging entries, a couple of eye-hooks screwed onto
the back of the frame with picture wire strung in-between should suffice.
For 3-dimensional work, the gallery will provide a pedestal, unless
you prefer to show it on one of your own. Also, if you do not want people
touching the artwork, please provide a glass or Plexiglas case to house
the artwork.
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Printable Details
Click
here for printable details.
 You
will need Acrobat Reader to view these files. Click here to download a
free copy of Acrobat Reader.
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