Hawaiian Art | Original Hawaiian Art and  Prints for sale By Honolulu Hawaii Artist  Donald K. Hall. 

The tree paintings are an allusion to the human condition... roots anchored　in the ground, head in the heavens... arms (branches) reaching　to the sky. The paintings of trees are an exploration... the search continues.... painting trees goes on and is not related to the ethnic group from which the artist comes.　 Is this "Hawaiian Art?"　 Definitely, as the term "Hawaiian Art" and "Hawaiian Painting" defines the geographical location from where the art comes, and since the work is of the Hawaiian landscape, this also relates to the content of the paintings.

Plein Air: Working directly from nature, from direct observation is the essence of plein air painting. Nature is the teacher, provides the answers, lighting, color, lightness and darkness and values.

No need to invent - rather, in plein air, not to impose the artist's ego on nature, yet to be receptive, observant. In plein air, through developing the powers of observation, a greater sensitivity to visual nuances emerges.

Subject’s portrait during a live sitting, the portrait sitter reveals his multi faceted soul, as over the time of the portrait sittings, the fine nuances of the face are displayed.

Paintings are the record, the universal spirit recognized in all beings and creation. From this level of awareness, phenomenal manifestation of the play of the forces existent in creation. Beyond

Expressionist, one sees these as but mere labels, tags, attached names, which people fight over and in a more fundamental level of reality have no real existence, but are mere appended labels. Is there really a "Hawaiian art" or is their just "art" per se with no labeling? Is there a "Hawaiian artist" or is there just an artist? When you contemplate an artist or any human being removed from contextual mileu, he/she is only a human... there is nothing "racial

"Hawaiian art" or "any other art". Universal art is the basis. Critics and political beings may attach the labels. Shouldn’t we strive for that which is pure?

Painting is not dead, nor should working with oil paint on canvas be considered anachronistic. The tradition of painting is a continuing and developing one. Progress is yet to be made, building on the work of the great painters of the not-too-distant past.

It would seem that the advent of the "ready-made" earlier in the　last century, has usurped the value of craftsmanship in art. I believe that this is a detour from the path. It is only a matter of time in which innovation for the sake of innovation alone will fall by the wayside. The true values of art will survive, as art strives for eternity.

My landscapes are both painted in the open air and my studio. The work progresses through the direct process of observing nature. Scales seem to be removed from the eyes as greater depths of color and spatial relationship appear. Indeed the act of painting seems to be a form of meditation causing a heightening of the awareness. While in the field, what takes place on the canvas seems as a reduced reflection of all that is experienced. Yet when viewed back in the confines of the studio, it is clear that the canvas has brought back the vitality of the greater experience.

Sometimes I feel that it is the landscape, which has painted itself, not the artist. I have been but a medium through which the landscape has been painted as a record recorded of its presence.

One of the joys of painting is the endless combination that the paint, color and texture manifest on the canvas. When successfully juxtaposition, different colors go into vibration or oscillation with each other. Layers of paint are built up with various degrees of transparency creating unpredictable new effects.

I like a good, textured, painting which gives you the sense that there is something more than the image itself.

Monet is said to have put each canvas aside, and pulled it out when the particular atmospheric/lighting effect appeared. A particular canvas was earmarked for only a certain atmospheric effect, and thus he would not work on it under a set of conditions different than those he had decided to be suitable for that piece.

I have continued with the same canvas under varied conditions, all of these conditions adding up in terms of layers of paint, one over the other, contributing to an unforeseen final mood which is born from all the different painting sessions coming into harmony not without conflict having taken place between these same layers/sessions, and their traces evident along with their resolution. I have held back some canvases for over fifteen years waiting for the right moment to finish it.

Time seems to be an indispensable element of the work. Time has no meaning. The span of time from the beginning of the canvas until the realization of its completion has no predetermined time line. Time is necessary to see all the subtleties in the work and develop the feeling for what alterations or modifications are to be made for all the parts of the painting to live together in harmony. This time is also necessary for separating the painter's labor of the painting from the intensity of feelings that accompanied the earlier act of bringing the raw unfinished painting to be on the canvas. At that earlier stage is identified with the stimuli outside of the canvas, and during that period, when viewing the painting, he would see more the external stimuli, than the work itself on the canvas. This could be for better or for worse... The canvas will cause recall private experience at the time, re-creating sensations. Yet, the same canvas may communicate absolutely nothing to another viewer. Or the artist would still be so much enamored of that experience, that he would be blinded to the imperfections or disharmony of the canvas. Thus, only once he has put the work out of his sight and over the course of time allowed that memory of the experience to fade, and then he would be able to once again look at the work and see it on its own merits and make decisions on how to proceed.

On the other hand, during the time of the initial painting act, you may have implanted in your mind a very strong idea or feeling as to what direction you wanted the work to take. The work at that time may not live up to that ideal, and you may fell the work incomplete, unfinished. Only once again by distancing yourself again from these feelings by means of the passage of time, can you view the work in a more objective frame of mind. Then you may even discover a new painting and see that it is indeed a completed harmonious work. In both cases the passage of time was necessary to see your work more objectively.

It would seem that this passage of time is in effect another layer of paint - in this case invisible, but not entirely intangible - which goes on to the canvas and becomes part of the totality of your work.

YET - if we all co-operate, we shall turn this world into Heaven on Earth.

To come back to the issue of art... no, I cannot bury my head in the sand! But, alas, let there be POSITIVE VIBRATIONS!!! We shall not let those of destructive tendencies drag us down. With eyes open, we shall rejoice in the beauty of the Creation. We shall know our potential; we shall strive for the Ultimate. Let the art offerings serve as witness of the Goodness that exists around us. See the positive, strengthen it, and in the effort of making a better world, we shall strive for beauty!

Most of the paintings are for sale.　 An artist must survive, and as such he must sell works to buy time to create new paintings.　 So, please be encouraged to buy my works and become a part of this creative process.

Paintings that are no longer available are indicated in the caption below the image as being sold, however, if prints are available it will be indicated.

About lighting: Light is the key - lighting varies with time of day and accents different shapes and features. Light through clouds like a spot light on one area of the landscape highlighting it in contrast to the surroundings. Lighting of the paintings is of utmost importance - good lighting will make the painting work, poor lighting will hide what is there. Atmospheric factors change the light and the softness or hardness of view.

How to paint a landscape, how to paint a sky, how to paint anything for that matter? The key is using our eyes, "listen" to your eyes, and let your eyes make the　decisions as to shape, color, etc.

Monet and the Impressionists including greats like Pissaro, Sisley, Morrisot showed us to connect with nature in a fresh way. Kandinsky showed us the Spiritual in Art to be true to our inner

Modern Impressionist painting and impressionism in landscape painting and landscape paintings also has elements of expressionism and/or expressionist tendencies contemporary art. Figurative art and figurative painting is a non-abstract where the paintings are a window to the world. Representational art and representational paintings more specifically.

Mystical Art and mystical painting shows greater truth, the aim of mysticism and mystical art being pointing to a greater reality. While painting art works of landscape, landscape paintings provide an art world of plein air (plein aire) vision. Indeed landscape painting in oil on canvas in the plein air is an impressionist art. We must carry artistic tradition forward using together the lessons of Cezanne to create a new perspective of volume and color on the painting surface. Time for reflection, contemplation and observation of nature, form and space creates heightened awareness of reality.

Spiritual Art is painting which conjures up the spiritual feelings from deep within, to identify the spiritual manifested in all creation... allowing vibration of color influencing the psyche with a positive vibration to uplift the spirit to new heights.　 The psychological affect of color is used to exalt the spirit.

Will the power – holding - individuals in the art world recognize a painting, which is art for art's sake? If there is no social-political connotation. Is art for art's sake doomed? You can make the difference! Lao Tze is quoted as having said, "He who knows does not speak; he who speaks does not know." From all that I have said above, it should be clear that I know nothing.