Downtown Art Center

Mahalo to everyone who made it out to The Dancing Figure costumed figure drawing party Saturday evening, which doubled as the Closing Reception for our Go Figure exhibition! Mahalo to costume designer, model coordinator, and model Oksana Chernyuk, DJ Robby, and stage manager Rose Wolfe for creating a wonderful event with a great vibe, and to all the gorgeous models and artists who enjoyed drawing them.
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Come see "It Feels Great!" from now until August 31 in the DAC Classroom. This exhibition showcases the work of five talented DAC art students in acrylic art classes under the direction of teaching artist Marina Borovok. We're so proud of all of them!

Featured student artists:
Joe Pierce
Lud Bautista
Ina Solum
June Lau
Judy Mohr Peterson
with instructor Marina Borovok

To find out what art classes DAC is offering now, visit downtownarthi.org/classes.
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We are honored to be able to show a tribute to prolific longtime Honolulu artist David Friedman Art as part of "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits from Hawaii's Artists." David entered this piece and suddenly passed away before we were able to tell him he'd been accepted into the exhibition. The piece went first to Cedar Street Galleries, then to a new owner, Carol Mandryk, who kindly lent it to us for the duration of this show.

In her tribute to David which accompanies the piece, Wendy Roberts, a friend of the family, writes "He was a well-liked and integral member of the arts community here. I truly treasured his friendship and the many fascinating conversations shared between us over the years. I loved to "talk shop" about both art and technology with him, and will deeply miss his insights, curiosity, kindness, and cleverness. Aloha ʻoe, David!"

More of David’s work can be appreciated on his website, davidfriedmanart.com.
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Mahalo to Cassie Ordonio of Hawaiʻi Public Radio for the feature on our upcoming collaboration exhibition with The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and Palmyra, "How Nature Restores Me"!

Upcoming Oʻahu exhibit showcases link between nature and art A new exhibit showcasing the link between art and nature will be showcased at the Downtown Art Center in August. It is a collaboration between the art center and the nonprofit Nature Conservancy, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra.

Save the date for the next Sunset Arts Market at Fort Street Mall and Pauahi Ave. on Friday, September 20 from 4-7 p.m.! We're inviting local artists, fashion and craft retailers, especially those from Chinatown and Downtown, Fort Street Mall restaurants, and all creatives to join us for an evening of art, music, fashion, and good vibes on Fort Street Mall, one of Honolulu’s oldest streets, and historically Oahu’s first shopping center. It's FREE and open to the public!

If you would like to be an art, fashion or crafts vendor, please visit downtownarthi.org/sunsetartsmarket for the vendor application and instructions on getting insurance for the event. The deadline to apply is August 14!
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Don't miss the "Go Figure" Closing Party, this Saturday evening from 6-8 p.m.! It's going to be a fun, artistic evening of costumed models and dancers for you to draw, in coordination with figure drawing model, costume designer and dancer Oksana Chernyuk, accompanied by eclectic Latin, Brazilian, and upbeat tropical music by DJ Robby! Bring your own drawing or painting supplies, or use art supplies provided by DAC. Refreshments available. No RSVP necessary! Saturday, July 20, 6 - 8 p.m. in the Main Gallery. Free & Open to the public - Donations welcome!
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It's the last few days to see our incredible "Go Figure" exhibition, juried by Noreen Naughton and featuring figure and portrait artwork in a variety of media from 58 Hawaii artists. To read the Juror’s Statement and to see a full list of accepted artworks, visit downtownarthi.org/gofigure.

See "Go Figure" until July 20 in the DAC Main Gallery, during regular gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and join us for the Closing Reception party on Saturday, July 20 from 5:30 -8 p.m.
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Congratulations to Linh Tang, who was awarded Second Place in a blind jurying by juror Noreen Naughton for her piece "In the Beginning," which also appears on one of the exhibition flyers for "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits from Hawaii's Artists"!

"An artist is a medium to express the Divine," she says. "When I paint, I channel the formless - energy, beauty, rhythm, harmony, balance, unity - through forms."

Before moving to Hawaii in 2014, Linh studied the fundamentals of oil painting in California, and took studio classes and workshops with several renowned artists she admired.

See "Go Figure" until July 20 in the DAC Main Gallery, during regular gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and join us for the Closing Reception party on Saturday, July 20 from 5:30 -8 p.m.
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Congratulations to master artist Snowden Hodges, who was awarded First Place in a blind jurying by juror Noreen Naughton for his piece, "Amber," (she's on the right in the second photo) in our current exhibition, "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits from Hawaii's Artists"!

Snowden, an artist from Baltimore, MD, who was mentored by the "Maryland Realists," holds BFA and MFA degrees from the Maryland Institute College of Art. His award-winning artwork is showcased in museums, galleries, and collections worldwide, and his teaching career and innovative programs like Atelier Hawaii have earned him much recognition.

See "Go Figure" until July 20 in the DAC Main Gallery, during regular gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and join us for the Closing Reception party on Saturday, July 20 from 5:30 -8 p.m.
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In DAC's Courtyard Gallery until July 27, don't miss "Pasefika 2024: Selected Artists," a multimedia exhibition curated by Floyd Takeuchi, featuring Pacific Islander artists who are residents in Hawaiʻi, alongside American artists with extensive experience in the Pacific Islands and a special portfolio of little-seen photographs from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia by Danee Hazama.

See "Pasefika 2024" during regular gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tues-Sat, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun.
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At DAC, we love being a part of people's "firsts." So imagine our surprise and delight when this extraordinarily talented, longtime artist, illustrator and graphic designer George Evan Davis (you may have seen his work before on the cover of the Hawaii Bar Journal), told us this was his first juried exhibition. Congratulations, George, and keep up the amazing work!

See these and all the other incredible pieces in "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits from Hawaii's Artists" juried by Noreen Naughton, until July 20 in the DAC Main Gallery, during regular gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and join us for the Closing Reception party with live costumed models, figure drawing, and music by DJ Robby on Saturday, July 20, from 5:30 - 8 p.m.
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This August, Downtown Art Center is pleased to partner with The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and Palmyra for “How Nature Restores Me,” featuring the artwork of their staff, trustees and ʻohana, on display in the DAC Courtyard Gallery, August 1-31. The diverse collection of work, including ceramics, kapa, wood carvings, charcoal drawings, paintings, and photography, aims to showcase the significant link between art and nature.

During the month, TNC staff will give special presentations to talk about their environmental work across the islands, and artist Jana Ireijo will paint a “vanishing mural” of the endangered Hawaiian ʻakikiki bird that will be washed away during the closing reception.

-First Friday Opening Reception: Friday, August 2 from 5:30 - 8 p.m. Meet the artists and learn about The Nature Conservancy!

-Closing Reception: Saturday, August 31 at 4 p.m., with a special talk by TNC Executive Director Ulalia Woodside Lee and the washing away of Jana Ireijoʻs "vanishing mural."
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A very warm mahalo to the young musicians and music community leaders of Hawaii Youth Symphony for bringing their talent and the beauty of classical music to the DAC gallery last night as part of their Pacific Music Institute summer program outreach.

Find out more about Hawaii Youth Symphony at hiyouthsymphony.org.
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Join us for a fun, artistic evening of costumed models/dancers in coordination with figure drawing model, costume designer and dancer Oksana Chernyuk, and eclectic Latin, Brazilian, and upbeat tropical music by DJ Robby to close out the "Go Figure" exhibition! Bring your own drawing or painting supplies, or use art supplies provided by DAC. Refreshments available. No RSVP necessary! Saturday, July 20, 6 - 8 p.m. in the Main Gallery. Free & Open to the Public - Donations Welcome!
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Announcing our August exhibition in the Main Gallery - it's two shows in one: “Wayne Levin: A Life in Photography Retrospective 1965-2024,” featuring the first art retrospective of Hawaiʻi underwater photography legend Wayne Levin, will be accompanied in DAC’s Main Gallery by “Under the Influences: The Glass Artwork by Stephanie Ross and Hugh Jenkins,” a collection of incredible glass pieces inspired by the artists’ Big Island home. The exhibitions, sponsored by Modea Honolulu, will be on display from July 25 - August 30, 2024.

You are cordially invited to the Artists' Reception on Friday, July 26 from 5:30 - 8 p.m., with refreshments and live music. Talk story with the artists about their processes, and be the first to see the stunning artwork on display! No RSVP necessary.
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Last few days to reserve your seats for our MAGIC SHOW themed drawing night, Saturday, July 13 at 5:30 p.m.! A collaboration event with .uresart, these drawing events feature live models, music, and good vibes. Bring your own supplies, or borrow ours - reserve at downtownarthi.org/events today!

While you're here, check out the Main Gallery exhibition: "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits from Hawaii's Artists" is a juried exhibition, with amazing figure and portrait artwork chosen by juror Noreen Naughton celebrating the diversity and artistic inspiration gained from the human form.
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Mahalo for joining us on First Friday! All our First Friday events are always FREE and open to the public.

In the Main Gallery, we celebrated the opening reception of "Go Figure: Figures and Portraits from Hawaii’s Artists," juried by Noreen Naughton, with special guests from HPR Generation Listen, including DJ Marc Ito of HPR's "Bridging the Gap!"
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In the Courtyard Gallery, “Pasefika 2024: Selected Artists” is on display until July 27. This is a multimedia exhibition curated by Floyd K. Takeuchi, featuring Pacific Islander artists who are residents in Hawaiʻi, alongside American artists with extensive experience in the Pacific Islands and a special portfolio of little-seen photographs from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia by Danee Hazama.
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In the Classroom, teaching artist Marina Borovok and her students celebrated the Opening Reception of "It Feels Great," a showcase of acrylic paintings by students in her classes.
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In the DAC Art & Gifts Shop, visitors browsed our ever-changing selection of artwork by local artists!
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Join us on Saturday, July 27 from 7-8:30 p.m. for an enchanting evening of storytelling at DAC, presented in partnership with Honolulu master storyteller Jeff Gere, and featuring special guests Ben Moffat & Janine Oshiro ()!

In their "Of Swans and Siblings," program, Janine and Ben will explore the complexities of sibling dynamics through a blend of fairy tales and personal anecdotes.

Janine Oshiro, a storyteller and poet, has been creating storytelling programs with the Statewide Cultural Extension Program since 2020, and is the award-winning author of "Pier," winner of the 2010 Kundiman Poetry Prize.

Ben Moffat, a freelance actor, storyteller, and writer, has performed and taught theater for over 20 years, and co-founded Hawaiʻi dance-theater troupe Monkey Waterfall.

This event is FREE and open to the public! Please RSVP at bit.ly/dacstorytelling to reserve your seat.
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Downtown Art Center is excited to welcome the talented young musicians of Hawaii Youth Symphony, playing a FREE public concert on Thursday, July 11 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. in the Main Gallery! Student quartets from HYS's summer music intensive, the Pacific Music Institute, mentored by Concertmaster Ignace "Iggy" Jang and other renowned faculty members, are composed of students in grades 7-12 representing 23 public, private, and home schools across Hawaii, California, and Washington.

The performance at DAC is one of several outreach concerts taking place across Honolulu on the same night, to fill our community with the beauty and vitality of classical music, and to connect students, and community members of all generations, through enriching and inspiring musical experiences. No RSVP is necessary for this event.

Photo courtesy Hawaii Youth Symphony.
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We are OPEN for the Fourth of July holiday! Come take an art break if you don't have to work, and see the beautiful, brand-new exhibition in the Main Gallery, "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits from Hawaii's Artists" from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Tomorrow (Friday, July 5 ), don't miss the First Friday Opening Reception from 5:30 - 8 p.m. with HPR Generation Listen and Special Guest DJ Marc Ito of HPR’s “Bridging the Gap.”

Featured artwork: "After Sailing" by Rachel Melander.
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Join us, First Sunday June 7 from 2-4 p.m. for SUNDAY SESSIONS, with live music by Lana Lavergne, Rockwell Fukino of Fiftyeight50, Taylor Ching, and Peter Agustin!
Every First Sunday of the month, we host live music by different local bands, curated by local music veteran Terry Oyama. These performances are FREE, although donations are welcome. Refreshments available from the DAC donation bar.
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Aloha DAC ʻohana, the Main Gallery is CLOSED this week for installation, and we will reopen on Tuesday, July 2 with our July exhibition, "Go Figure: Figures & Portraits by Hawaii's Artists." Don't miss the opening receptions for this and "It Feels Great!," our new student art exhibition in the Classroom, featuring acrylic paintings by students of DAC teaching artist Marina Borovok, on First Friday, July 5, from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

Also running through July 27 in the Courtyard Gallery is "Pasefika 2024: Selected Artists," an exhibition featuring Pacific Islander artists who are residents in Hawaiʻi, alongside American artists with extensive experience in the Pacific Islands and a special portfolio of little-seen photographs from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia by Danee Hazama.
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As "The Ocean In Us" exhibition draws to a close, we want to give a warm MAHALO to our new Taiwan ʻohana, who have traveled across the Pacific Ocean to share their talent and culture with us.

This collaborative arts endeavor between Taiwan Taitung and Hawaiʻi, featuring visual artists Rahic Talif, Yu-Wen Wang, and Misega.Flying Fish, curated by Shulun Wu and funded by the Taiwan Taitung County Government as a participant event for FestPAC 2024, will be on view today and tomorrow, June 23 in the DAC Main Gallery, closing Sunday at 4 p.m.

See more photos from the exhibition at downtownarthi.org.
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Go for a Chinatown walk and then take an art break at DAC!
Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board Chair Ernest Caravalho and Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam are hosting the walk from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, 6/22 to bring positive attention to the area after our recent blackouts.

Walk to support the Downtown-Chinatown district on Saturday The walk is meant to bring to bring positive attention to the area, following two power outages in less than a week

Announcing our July-August Classroom exhibition, “It Feels Great!,” featuring the acrylic paintings of DAC art students under the direction of teaching artist Marina Borovok.
“To me, it means it feels great to be useful, to achieve, learn, and teach,” says Marina. “When you feel good about what you did, you feel great and become happy.”

See the exhibition from July 5 - August 31, and join the student artists and their teacher for the Opening Reception on First Friday, July 5 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.!

Flyer artwork: "Queen's Beach, Waikiki" by Marina Borovok.
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