February 1 – 25, 2016
The Waimea Arts Council is sponsoring the “24th Annual Cherry Blossom Art Exhibition” at it’s Firehouse Gallery . This annual show features original art by the artist members of the Waimea Arts Council and will also include artwork based on places or events reminiscent of Waimea. The exhibition will be on display during the entire month of February. Artists will have originals and prints available for sale. They will be donating a percentage of all sales to the arts council to fund various community educational programs.
In addition to the exhibit, the following events will take place around the Firehouse Gallery on Saturday February 4 – the day of the Cherry Blossom Festival Celebration.
Cherry Bake-off
In addition to our annual show, there is a new competition for everyone to enter – the 1st CHERRY BAKE-OFF held at the adjacent Waimea Seniors Centre and sponsored by the Seniors.
If cooking/baking is one of your creative skills then you should bring a pie, cake or something else that uses cherries as an ingredient. They can be fresh, frozen, canned or even dried, but whatever you make will be in the running for ca$h prize$ ranging from $20 to $50.
The three categories are: PIES, CAKES, AND OTHER BAKED GOODS.
Each category will have three cash prizes chosen by a taste testing team of invited judges: SAMANIA “Sammy” AKMAL – a pastry chef from Hilo who operates Hawaii Lassi and former State Senator from this island, MALAMA SOLOMON who loves to eat when not burning up those calories on her Waimea cattle ranch.
There’s NO entry fee but all entries must be delivered to the Senior Centre between 9 and 11 am SAT, (2/4). Judging will be at 11:30.
Ikebana
Contemporary freestyle Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) will be demonstrated during the morning hours under a tent adjacent to the Firehouse Gallery. This study group meets regularly in Hilo creating arrangements outside the strictures of traditional school based controls. Many will find their freedom of choices for vessels and for combining of elements most intriguing.
Ceramic Doll Collection
The island of Shikoku has been well known for ceramics over the past four centuries. Prime amongst artisans in that region was Seiho Morimoto who was designated the Ehime Prefectural Living Cultural Treasure for innovative interpretations of figurative sculptures. The President of WAC has brought from Japan a set of Morimoto’s signature Hina-Matsuri dolls with multiple glazes over sculpted traditional han-jiki clay forms.
These dolls, commonly associated with the March 3rd Girl’s Day, are normally displayed as part of those three-day March festivities. This set was from the first public exhibition of Morimoto Sensei’s work and depicts the Emperor and Empress along with a group of their retainers with two mounted guards. The grouping is displayed on a tiered stage and never handled as normal Western dolls might be. They evoke the history of Japan through the ages. The display will be in the open walkway next to the Firehouse Gallery only for the duration of the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival.
All Ages Chalk Art
All ages are invited to get creative with chalk on the concrete and surrounding sidewalks at Waimea Historic Corner Park during the festival. Bring your own chalk or use the Waimea Art Council’s. Artists and wannabe artists can express themselves visually during the festival. Parents please supervise your children in this area.