T his plein air work was created in the heart of Hanalei town at the base of the pier. I set up my easel where I could see a view of the mountains towering before me. The light shifted dramatically every few minutes; the skies quickly changed between stormy and clear, and it even rained a few times when the clouds passed over heavy and full. Still, I stayed in the creative flow and kept the canvas protected while I continued into a colorful exploration of the wild afternoon.

The final painting carries the changing light of that day and my own sense of the playful spirit of the place—umbrellas opening, colors warming and cooling, and people basking in the sunshine in-between quick, tropical showers. There is a lighthearted creativity here—less focused on strict realism and more guided by imagination, intuition, and a sense of exuberance for life.