Below you can see my art at home, at work, and on the street. This gallery shares some ideas for how to frame and hang work as well. Sometimes the same image is shown in different settings, sometimes different original pieces are displayed in interesting settings. Giclees, originals, a throw pillow, and even murals are included so you can see the wide range of ways to incorporate art into your surroundings. Thank you to the many clients who have sent or given permission for photos of artworks in their post-studio settings.
“Kipu Falls” in a Home
Kipu Falls in a Home
This beachside home was professionally painted with colors selected by an interior designer. The yellow walls are charming, and feature a thin shelf where paintings can be rotated easily. This family has a large art collection, and changes the art on the walls frequently using this shelf display system. Installing a small shelf like this isn’t very hard or expensive. There are options available via hardware stores for DIY types, or any carpenter could install one easily.
“Kipu Falls” in an Investment Firm with a chair rail.
Kipu Falls in an Investment Firm
Here, “Kipu Falls” has been framed in dark contemporary wood and placed in a conference room. Whenever there is a need for the piece to be placed and then to stay perfectly level (just like with this situation and the very beautiful wood details below the painting), it is a great idea to use a level to get the painting perfectly parallel to the wood moulding, and once you have it roughly level, you can place a small blob of paint-safe removable mounting putty (usually called “sticky tack”) on the bottom edge of the painting, then use the level once more to perfect its position, and gently press the painting against the wall so the putty sticks to the wall and prevents the painting from moving out of alignment. If you leave home without a level, there are great apps for smart phones now that have surprisingly effective digital levels!
“Na Mokulua” in a medical office
Na Mokulua in a medical office. This wall hanging features a “Na Mokulua” giclee gallery wrapped and flanked between dark wood carved panels. The browns of the rocks are coordinating with the room colors, but the turquoise really pops because everything else in the room is very monochromatic with lots of golds and browns, but turquoise is very vibrant and thus it becomes the focal point of the room.
“Na Mokulua” in a medical office
Na Mokulua in a medical office
“Kipu Falls” in a Waiting Room
Kipu Falls in a Waiting Room
Framed in a similar way to the investment firm’s giclee, this version, in a medical office waiting area has been used carefully to pull the room’s various decor together. The theme and color of the leaves is echoed in the pillows, chairs, and rug. The brown of the rocks in the painting coordinates well with the brown of the leather couches.
“New Day at Kawainui” in a Waiting Room
New Day at Kawainui in a Waiting Room
A wide wall like this one needs a long painting that isn’t too tall. This is where triptychs are perfect! Paintings need to be around eye level, however, if you place them too low next to a couch or other sitting area, people may bump their heads on the art. You need to space a triptych carefully so that the gaps between each painting are even and are not to close, but not to far apart. You can lay the work on the floor and experiment to find the perfect gap measurement before placing it on a wall. Triptychs need to be measured carefully and you should also use a level to help hang them in the correct configuration. Once you have them on the wall, you can place a small blob of paint-safe removable mounting putty (often called “sticky tack”) on the bottom edge of the painting, then use the level once more to perfect each panel’s position, and gently press each painting against the wall so the putty sticks to the wall and prevents the paintings from moving out of alignment. These panels are painted all the way around the edge for a modern look that doesn’t need a frame. The blues of the sky coordinate with the carpet and pillows, and there are plants placed throughout the room that help tie in the greens.
Ohia Lehua Pillow
Ohia Lehua Pillow
Selected pieces of my art are available on redbubble.com for print on home decor items and gift items. Here is a photo of a couch with one of my paintings printed on the center pillow.
“Sea Lions” in an office
“Sea Lions” in an office. Here, the wood of the frame ties the painting together to a wooden cabinet that is shown at the edge of the photo. The warm frame contrasts nicely with the pale blue walls and the image of the “Sea Lions”. Art in an office needs to be placed high enough or to be offset enough to escape the activity of people using printers and computer monitors, but low enough to still be within eye level range for maximum visibility.
Enchanted Forest Mural
Enchanted Forest Mural
Bedroom mural painted ceiling to floor, including a forest, flowers, a lily pond, and glow-in-the-dark painted fireflies. The blue tones of the wall (which are more mellow in real life) help give a soothing feel to the room.
Enchanted Forest Mural view 2
Enchanted Forest Mural view 2
Looking across the room from the first view, the colors in this photo are more accurate to the actual room. This is a bedroom mural painted from ceiling to floor, including a forest, flowers, a lily pond, and glow-in-the-dark painted fireflies. Murals should be painted well even behind the furniture in case the room layout changes. Beautiful focal points should be lavished upon areas that are most likely to always be visible.
Kaimuki Waialae Mud Hen Traffic Box
A beautification project in downtown Kaimuki at Waialae Ave and 16th Street shows exterior mural work (street art). In this mural, the surroundings and history of the area dictate the theme of the box. Waialae means “Mudhen water” the little bird on the box is called a mudhen, moorhen, or gallinule – lots of names for these lovely little marsh birds! They are a native Hawaiian bird. The street was named for this type of bird, so it inspired a mural of the birds and wetlands that preceded the city.
A small piece, “Kamehameha Butterflies with Orange Ohia” adds a pop of color to a grouping of several art pieces
In this photo, a small piece, “Kamehameha Butterflies with Orange Ohia”, is leaning on a table top. It shows that art can be placed on a shelf or a table. Furthermore I love this photo because it shows how charming a collection of art pieces can be when placed thoughtfully together.
My miniature painting is quite vibrant and thus adds a pop of color. The orange and the darker areas of muddy green coordinate nicely with the neutrals and reds of the other pieces. There are 3D pieces that add a lot of interest to the grouping, and a large painting with a neutral palette that ties it all together without stealing all the spotlight. The pieces are artfully put together so that the small vibrant piece tells its story without being completely overshadowed by the other art. Your eye can wander from piece to piece, and all of them have some aspect of color that relates it to the other pieces.
Peaceful Garden Bathroom Mural
This bathroom mural is painted in very subtle colors without a lot of vibrancy or contrast to affect the viewer in a way that is soothing, especially since there is a soaking tub not in the photo. The mural is in view of the bath so that it can act as a meditation aid. The design is meant to be more of a pattern than a landscape with depth. The inspiration was seeing my first zen art display and noticing the way the art made me feel calm and meditative. Designing a mural for indoor living always takes careful color selection so that it is flattering to the room and has the appropriate psychological effect.