An original 12" x 12" mixed media painting utilizing collage, acrylic, and wax, Mists on the Mountain ships cradled on a birch wood panel and is ready to hang.
 
This work contains images of the endemic Hawaiian Palila, reproductions of antique maps of its territory on the slopes of Mauna Kea, and representations of the Mamane, a native shrub on which the Palila depends. 
 
Mists on the Mountain is part of the Palila Project which was created around the idea of makawalu. (For more information, check out the post in my blog.)
 
In Olelo Hawai'i, maka means eyes, and walu is eight. The word has the connotation of an abundance of perspectives. I wanted to see the palila with an 8 eye view, so I envisioned 8 parts of this project:
 
painting
poetry
photography
collaborative mural
biological research
sculpture
book
video
 
In addition to a multitude of perspectives makawalu implies infinite resources.
 
I found it intriguing that while we count the digits on our hands the ancient Hawai'ians looked at the 8 spaces between our fingers. The empty places could hold 8 fish tails or 8 taro leaves. Instead of absence they saw possibility. For them, 8 was a number of completeness.
 
My intentions were to portray the endemic Hawai'ian palila with rich possibility rather than the extinction predicted in its future. Currently there are less than 940 individuals. Part of your purchase of this painting supports Palila populations by planting Mamane trees. 
 
Purchase the Palila Project book in my shop.