"Pele Under the Stars"
Paul Staub |
History of
the Association of Hawaii Artists
The Association
of Honolulu Artists was established in 1926. The Honolulu
Art Academy did not exist at that time. With the exception
of the Bishop Museum, there was no focal point for the
arts. That year a small group of friends eager for cultural
exchange gathered to discuss the arts and establish themselves
as a membership organization devoted to the support and
promotion of the growing arts community. This core group
came to be known as “The Association of Honolulu Artists”.
By the 1930’s,
the population of Honolulu had grown to a city of over
200,000 residents and the new prestigious Art Academy
was visited by almost 50,000 people. AHA was gaining recognition
and news coverage on their regularly held art exhibits.
Gathering momentum, the periodic art shows that they sponsored
grew more frequent and much broader in scope throughout
the next few decades. Cash awards for first place winners
were replaced with war bonds during the turbulent war
years.
Celebrating its 78th Anniversary in 2004,
AHA is not only the oldest but also the most diverse art
organization in Hawaii. It has had an enormous impact
on the public’s enthusiasm and appreciation for the arts.
The name was changed from the Association of Honolulu
Artists to the Association of Hawaii Artists in order
to encompass all islands in the State of Hawaii. After
almost eight decades, we are still a vibrant art force
in Hawaii. We promote the multimedia arts and its artists
members and we build on a foundation where artists of
all media can come together for comradeship, education,
showmanship, and moral support. We encourage the expression
of our diverse cultural heritage and explore themes that
reflect the islands’ current issues. We have two jury
shows every year along with additional exhibitions that
are hosted with the city and the business community. We
publish a monthly newsletter, The Paint Rag that
keeps our members abreast of artists’ events and achievements.
We work to promote art education and growth through AHA’s
educational programs, scholarships, workshops and group
demonstrations.
Hawaii has
a high percentage of the population that characterizes
themselves as practicing Artists. Some artist members
are professional artists, others practice art as an avocation
and serious interest, and some are beginning artists and
students. We are accessible. We encourage work in all
media and of all interested artists. We enthusiastically
invite you to join AHA whether you are an artist or a
patron.
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Association of Hawaii Artists ©
2008
All
images are courtesy of our AHA photographer, Roy Okano.
They are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or used in any
way without the written consent of the photographer and the artist.
Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved. Webmaster Paul Staub
Association of Hawaii Artists
P O Box 10202
Honolulu HI 96816-0202 |
