There is something about Kauai. I hope never to lose touch with that unique something. When I paint, I want to capture that first feeling of my experience. To me, it is like remembering my first love—its intensity, that take-your-breath-away sweetness.
Having lived in seven countries, I’ve experienced how easy it is to move from awesome to familiar to mundane (commonplace) in that place-experience. It sometimes takes visitors to remind us how special this island is. The air. The light. The people. The red earth. The sounds.The amazing shapes and color/light reflections. It has taken a while for my eyes to adjust, or more accurately, my color palate—the names on the tubes of color are new to my work. The full-color saturation is new on my palette--red dirt; the brilliant yellow greens; the unique blue of the sky over the ocean.
My artistic career began early, took a few sabbaticals, went through curves and dips, but is now steady on a painterly direction. My formal art training from the U of W, then Caulfield Institute in Melbourne, Australia served me well to create a mural business in the late eighties, lasting through 2007. My work can still be seen under my former name, Cher Ultican, in the Portland/Vancouver/Seattle area. I came to Kauai in 2008 to marry my high school first-love sweetheart and start a new adventure. It was an excellent choice.
I hope you enjoy these glimpses of our very special island.
Mahalo nui loa…thanks very much for visiting.
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