These five paintings where included in the commission
with the 'Molokai mural'. Agreed upon in the contract was for Philip
to teach art classes to the students at Kaunakakai School during the
duration of the mural. Subsequently he was on the boat to travel across
the channel twice a week
The core of this series was the Hawaiian couple who where the welcoming,
or centerpiece.
Extensive research was done prior to the painting on what contributions
each culture brought to the Molokai shores. Phil met with older Kupuna,
to establish these facts. Look closely and you will see each painting
is a composite of many items. For example we all knew the Portuguese
brought the ovens and introduced bread to the islands. They also brought
the bird of paradise plant from the island of Madeira in the Azores.
These paintings still make me smile; Phil used our son Erin, as the
male in the Filipino piece. That is Phil’s sister's house in
the Filipino piece, where he grew up. Our son Paulo is the male in
the Portuguese painting. I insisted the woman in the Chinese painting
wore jade (my favorite).
All in all, the state, the teachers and the artist where all pleased
with the painting, that where installed in the school library. The
children all had to write papers and interview their Kupuna, on what
their ethnic roots where and what foods and cultural experiences their
family maintained.....Aloha
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