Silas Stoddard’s use of metallics and brilliant swaths of color are profound, yet done in earnest. These photos don’t quite do his pieces justice, so get down and check them out. A few have already sold, so get them before they’re gone.
The exhibition will continue through April 7
_______
Whale Tail
Oil paint, lacquer, gold leaf, on wood
$1,250
One of the best things about living in Hawaii is seeing these amazing creatures during their migration. Every time I see a whale, I feel like a little kid again. My father was here last month, and he saw one for the first time. When the whale breached the surface his face lit up, and he is still talking about it. As I painted this piece I thought about my dad. For this painting, I wanted to create a feeling of vastness, an open sea, and just a glimpse.
_______
Seascape with Gold Leaf
Oil paint, lacquer, gold leaf, on wood
$1,600
Like many people that live here in Hawaii, I too am in love with the ocean, I’d even say that I’m obsessed. If I don’t surf or see the water for a few days, I get restless. As I was working on this art show, I was really missing the water. As I was painting, I was visualizing the sea as a thinking, conscious being and wondered how I might perceive her personality, and what it would be like to create a big Valentine’s Day card for her. I’ve been using a lot of gold leaf in my paintings this year. I like its religious quality, and the way the light hits it demands attention.
_______
Embrace
Oil paint on canvas
$1,400
I’ve been working on this painting off and on, and to be honest, I don’t know if it’s two girls together, or a guy and a girl, so I leave it open for interpretation. To me, it’s just about an exclusive feeling between two people, living completely in the moment. It’s the first time you feel a connection; it’s unspoken, the transfer of intimacy – that electric experience. As for aesthetics, I didn’t want to overwork the painting, so I left it simple, unpolished. I also wanted the figures to have a Japanese printmaking quality, hence the design of the hand.
_______
Lotus and Arrows
Oil paint, lacquer, gold leaf, on wood
$900
I wanted to paint something meditative. There are undertones of the Tibetan Yab-Yum, but less direct, more metaphorical. Simply, the flower is feminine while the arrows are masculine, but I’d like the viewer to interpret this on his or her own.
____
Star-Girl with Pink Clouds
Oil paint, enamel, lacquer on wood
$425
I came up with this idea some time ago. It has a retro-pop feel. The reference I used was from an old black and white photo of a girl in the 1960s. I loved the inquisitive look on her face. Her afro is turning into stars … an extension of her thoughts. She has strength, a sense of wonder, she is hopeful and sexy – what’s not to like about that?
______
Hotel Renew
129 Paoakalani Ave.
www.hotelrenew.com