The first week in February simply cannot exist without the Punahou Carnival, right? The teeming crowds, endless malasada lines, cases of mango chutney, keiki games, EK Fernandez rides…..
Well, it’s not exactly possible to hold that kind of event this year, but the Punahou Junior Class is doing everything possible to bring as much Carnival as they can to us.
One thing you can easily enjoy online is the Punahou Art Gallery. It’s considered the largest and most diverse art sale in the State. It’s by invitation and quite prestigious for the artists, too. I was asked to enter three pieces this year, and here they are.
You will notice that they all relate to the North Shore of Oahu, where I did a lot of my growing up.

“Summer at Waimea Bay: Dive In!!”

“Waimea Bay: Breaking Big”

“Honu Comes Home to Laniakea”
Of course, not being able to see and touch the art before bidding on it is a shame. I find it especially difficult with my work because most of my recent art (and all three of these pieces) is done with hand-dyed fabrics. They may look like paintings, but it’s all fabric. There are a lot of interesting layers and textures that aren’t evident in a photo.
To take part in the silent auction in support of Punahou Scholarships, here is the link to get into the Art Gallery, followed by the details on how to navigate:
https://punahou-carnival-art-
It will be open to the public (no password necessary) starting
Monday, February 1st at 6pm through
Saturday, February 6th at 11pm
Once you are at the site, you can navigate from the top menu to collections, or see the whole catalog. You can also search for any of the artists by name under the dropdown menu on the left “Vendor” and select it just to see his or her work. If you can’t see all three of the pieces above, that means it sold. On the upper right there is a small magnifying glass logo to click on to search. You can search by name or keyword.
I hope you will make a virtual visit to “A Carnival Out of this World,” an appropriate name for a Carnival during COVID!
Paula Rath
Hi Paula!
I saw your beautiful work tonight at the Punahou Carnival art gallery. My husband and I love your “Summer at Waimea Bay Dive In!” Unfortunately, it is too small for a wall we had in mind. Do you do commissioned work and possibly re-create the “Dive In” piece but larger (at least 30 x 40)?
And if so, how long does it take for you to create each piece and what would you charge. Can you let me know? Thank you so much. I look forward to hearing from you. -Cindy