Tokyo, Japan

Solo Art Exhibition in Tokyo

(Details / Opening Reception Photos)

Honolulu, Hawaii

As an artist whose work has been chosen for display at the Hawaii State Capitol building, I received an invitation to attend the 10th Annual “Art at the Capitol” on Friday April 6th. The event, billed as a “Celebration of the Peoples Art” is a way for the general public to view artwork from the Art in Public Places Program administered by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

The Foundation was established in 1967 by the Hawaii State Legislature when it passed the “Art in State Buildings Law” making Hawaii the first state the union to set aside one percent of the cost of state buildings to acquire and commission works of visual art. The acquisition and display of works of art enables people of all communities on each island to enjoy art in public places. Relocatable works can be seen throughout the capitol and in all of Hawaii’s public buildings including, the Hawaii State Art Museum. The Art in Public Places Program’s Collection is recognized as one of the most significant collections of art in Hawaii.

I would like to thank Senator Jill Tokuda for choosing my photograph “ 1,681 views of Leahi” from the States collection, for her office on the second floor.

Azabudai, Tokyo, Japan                    

Tokyo Solo Exhibition

Announced

Very happy to report that the selection committee at the Frederick Harris Gallery in Tokyo has approved a solo exhibition of my work from June 13th to July 9th, 2018. I will be exhibiting a  mix of original acrylic paintings, original prints, and photographs.

The Frederick Harris Gallery houses a changing selection of fine artwork from local and internationally renowned artists. Exhibitions feature a new artist every month, with works ranging from original  paintings and traditional Japanese woodblock prints to ceramics, sculpture, photography and more. The gallery is located on the lower level of the Tokyo American Club.

I will be posting more information and details on the exhibition soon.

FREDERICK HARRIS GALLERY at the TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB

The gallery is named after former Tokyo American Club President Frederick Harris (1932 - 2010), a painter, author, art professor, and collector of art, who was born in Brooklyn, New York. He spent many years in Japan and regularly exhibited and received awards for his work. The U.S. Navy appointed him an official artist. During this time, he produced drawings and paintings of scenes on ships at sea and in port that were given to the U.S. Navy for display in living quarters, offices, and for the submarine museum in Hawaii.

Harris established his own architectural design firm, The Design Studio, and wrote art columns for several Tokyo publications. In 1981, he was selected as the director of the Modern Sumi-e Painters Association and became an honored Sumi-e master. Eventually, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun Medal by the Emperor of Japan for his contributions to US-Japan relations. 

Fred & his wife Kazuko built an impressive library of fine art books. In 1994, they began to transfer their library to Ohio University in Athens Ohio where Fred  had taught Japanese Art. In 2004, the Fine Arts Library was dedicated in their names. By 2011, the collection had been received – making the Harris Library unique in its vast holdings of finely printed books about the art of Japan and the east.

The Tokyo American Club has been fostering a sense of community among its Members and their families since it was established in 1928. With more than 3,500 Members from 50-plus nations, the Club offers a diverse range of cultural, business and recreational activities and amenities in the heart of Tokyo.

Honolulu Hawaii

This years Mixed Media Miniature  Exhibition opened on Thursday at the Koa Gallery. This is the 20th year for one of Honolulu's most popular events on the Art Calendar. Gallery director, David Behlke, and his staff, did a fantastic job of hanging over 100 miniature works of art by some of Hawaii's best local artists.

Three of my acrylic paintings, Asa Kusa April, Lavendar Valley, and Baja West,  are on exhibit this year.

The exhibition will be up until December 16th. The Koa Gallery is located on the Kapiolani Community College Campus near Diamond Head. The Gallery is open Tuesdays through Saturday from 10am to 3pm.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Jim Clark's COMANCHE was the first monohull to reach Honolulu setting a new  record.

Thanks to hospitality of Nick Brazell and Jodi Boeringa, I was able to get away from the studio for a couple days and get out on the water to take some shots of the early finishers in this years TRANSPAC. Nick was our number one chase boat driver during the CSTV years and it was great to be out on the ocean with him and fellow CSTV cameraman Mike May once again.

The 49th running of this biennial classic turned out to be a great year for the competitors. The fleet had good conditions  for the bulk of the 2,500 mile trek to Diamond Head from the  starting line off the Point Fermin Lighthouse, which is just North of Long Beach CA. Most of the entries this year had a great race and were able to experience the classic Trade Wind finish off the Diamond Head Lighthouse.

The winds were strong and steady enough for three of the Division 0 trimarans entered, Mighty Merloe, Phaedo  3, and Maserati, to break the existing multihull race record set by Bruno Peyron’s Commodore Explorer back in 1997. 

MIGHTY MERLOE set a new TRANSPAC Multihull record of 4 Days, 7 Hours, 3 Minutes, and 30 Seconds.

I was not too surprised to see Comanche, Jim & Kristy Clark's 100 foot Maxi, set a new TRANSPAC monohull elapsed time  record. The existing record was set by Neville Crichton & crew aboard Alfa Romeo 2 in 2009. Ken Reed skippered the black and red rocket ship with veteran navigator Stan Honey finding the winning track for the 11th time. The  magnificent Elapsed Time Trophy, designed by Andrea Favilli, and donated by Roy E. Disney, will need to have the clock reset to 5 days, 1 hour, 55 minutes and 26 seconds.

RIO 100 Crew with the "Barn Door' Trophy

Meanwhile, Manouch Moshayedi’s , Rio 100, lost her port rudder due to floating debris, but managed to jurry rig a replacement and get to Honolulu in time to take home the coveted Barn Door Trophy, -and to set a new record as well.

The Pacific 52 INVISIBLE HAND  was  first in class and first overall

On corrected time, the new Pacific 52 Invisable Hand, owned and skippered by Frank Slootman, took First in Division One, and first Overall for the King Kalakaua and Governor of Hawaii Trophies. Bad Pak, another Pacific 52, came in second overall, with the Rogers 46 Varuna, taking third overall .

For a complete list of the 2017 TRANSPAC results click Here

Honolulu, Hawaii

At approximately 9:45 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time, legendary voyaging canoe, Hokule'a, sailed into the harbor at Oahu's Magic Island after completing a 42,000-mile open-ocean journey around the world. Nearly 50,000 people gathered to celebrate the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) and the conclusion of the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines. Through sharing indigenous wisdom, groundbreaking conservation and preservation initiatives, creating global relationships, and discovering the wonders of the Island Earth, the epic journey has inspired practices to protect our environment for future generations.

Hokulea's return to Hawaii marks the first time in history that a Polynesian voyaging canoe has sailed around the world. The voyage was led by a crew of skilled navigators using ancient Polynesian wayfinding techniques, observing the stars, ocean, winds, birds and other signs of nature as mapping points for direction. "The wisdom and knowledge of our ancestors coupled with inspirational, forward-thinking about connecting people and cultures to preserve our Island Earth, allowed us to create an unprecedented movement called Mālama Honua and navigate toward a more sustainable world," said Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. "Our voyage continues. We must keep inspiring the stewardship of our earth, perpetuation of our culture and learning how to care for environment and the people around us."

Themed Lei Kaapuni Honua, meaning "A Lei Around The World," the homecoming celebration honored the journey of connecting cultures and people across the globe. Dignitaries, leaders, sponsors, partners and the community joined the Polynesian Voyaging Society to watch as Hokule'a sailed into Magic Island along with a fleet of seven deep sea voyaging canoes from Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand. This historic return to Hawaii was observed with a cultural welcoming ceremony followed by an all-day event filled with music and entertainment for the entire community.

"The Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage is a shining example of what we can accomplish together and the change we can initiate to realize a brighter future for Hawaii and the world," said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. "This global movement has not only encouraged stewardship of our island Earth, but also has inspired the next generation of navigators, explorers and engaged citizens who are proud of where they come from and what our culture stands for. The value and lessons from this voyage will continue to help our community thrive for years to come."

The mission of the Voyage has been to spread the message of Malama Honua (caring for Island Earth) by promoting environmental consciousness, fostering learning environments, bringing together island communities and growing a global movement toward a more sustainable world. The voyage has encouraged a resurgence of pride and respect for native cultures and has created opportunities for people throughout the world to honor our shared heritage. Hokule'a and Hikianalia will continue to sail around the Hawaiian Islands to reconnect with local communities and schools to share stories and lessons learned on the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage.

Hokule'a, a replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe was built 40 years ago and revitalized voyaging and navigation traditions throughout the Pacific. The canoe's twin hulls allow her to handle large ocean swells and recover easily in the troughs of waves, and her triangular canvas sails can harness winds up to 20 knots. Hokulea first set out on the Pacific Ocean in 1975.  In 1976, Hokule'a completed a voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti and back proving that the early Polynesians navigated long distances without the use of  modern navigational instruments. Through the revival of the traditional art and science of wayfinding-navigating the sea guided by nature using the ocean swells, stars, and wind-Hokulea sparked a Hawaiian cultural renaissance and has reawakened the world's sense of pride  as voyagers charting a course for our Island Earth.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in 1973 on a legacy of Pacific Ocean exploration, seeking to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, one other, and their natural and cultural environments. For more information about the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Worldwide Voyage, visit www.hokulea.com or find them on  Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Noumea, New Caledonia

On my way home from my last trip to Sydney, I stopped in Noumea, New Caledonia which is located about 900 miles east of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. During my stay, I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Morarin, director of the Andemic Art Gallery which is located in the Le Meridian Hotel. The Gallery features works from local and international artists with a common theme being the brilliant colours from the island and the sea that surrounds.

New Caledonia is home to the worlds largest lagoon, most of which is designated as a World Heritage Site. The largest city, Noumea, is a modern metropolis of just under 200 thousand residents, and home to more sailboats than Hawaii -which is 5 times larger. I was impressed with the quality and variety of the collection that Eric has chosen for his establishment, and thought some of my images would be a good fit. Eric thought so as well so we have agreed to have the Andemic Art Gallery represent my work in New Caledonia.

Fukuoka, Japan 

Sir Ben Ainslie and crew with the ACWS Trophy

Flew to Fukuoka Japan in November on assignment for Latitude 38 in San Francisco, and the Japanese Press Service in Honolulu. Fukuoka was the final stop for the America’s Cup World Series circuit that started in 2015. The teams have raced in Portsmouth GBR, Gothenburg SWE, Bermuda, Muscat, Oman, New York City, USA,  Chicago, USA,  Portsmouth GBR, and Toulon FRA, as well. The racing in Japan was the first time an America’s Cup event has ever been held in Asian waters. The Series features the America’s Cup teams racing in foiling, AC45 catamarans which are slightly smaller than the boats that will compete in the actual America's Cup. The ACWS is an early opportunity to gain points that carry forward into the next stage of the competition in Bermuda in 2017.

Land Rover BAR – the British challenge headed by Ben Ainslie, won both the Fukuoka event, as well as the overall America’s Cup World Series. Land Rover BAR finished the series with 512 points, 19 points ahead of Oracle Team USA, the two-time defending America's Cup champions, in second place. Emirates Team New Zealand came in third with 493 points.

By taking first place in the overall ACWS, Ainslie and crew have earned two bonus points to take into the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers to be held in Bermuda. Second place, ORACLE TEAM USA, takes one bonus point.

Ainslie, is attempting to return the America's Cup  to England -it's historical birthplace,  where it was  lost  in 1851. The America' Cup is the oldest trophy in all of sports and was originally called the One Hundred Sovereign Cup. It was renamed after the schooner America won it by beating the best sailing vessels in all of England in a race around the Isle of Wight. The Americans took it across the Atlantic to the New York Yacht Club where it remained until  the 1983 America's Cup.

Land Rover BAR  (Ben Ainslie Racing)  foiling past the crowd in Hakata Bay

ACWS Fukuoka Final Results

1. Land Rover BAR — 75

2.Artemis Racing — 75

3.ORACLE TEAM USA — 70

4. Emirates Team New Zealand — 65

5. SoftBank Team Japan — 61

6. Groupama Team France — 59

ORACLE Team USA and EMIRATES Team New Zealand at the start

America’s Cup World Series Overall

1. Land Rover BAR — 512

2. ORACLE TEAM USA — 493

3. Emirates Team New Zealand — 485

4. Artemis Racing — 466

5. SoftBank Team Japan — 460

6. Groupama Team France — 419

A local fan 

Home town favorite SOFTBANK Team Japan                                             

  All Photos by Phil Uhl

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