In celebration of summertime, the Firehouse Gallery is continuing “Summer Fun” during the month of august, with a special emphasis on the paniolo heritage of Waimea and North Kohala.
Ever since Captain George Vancouver presented King Kamehameha with five longhorns in 1793, there have been cattle in the Waimea and North Kohala areas. In 1816, John Palmer Parker married Kamehameha’s granddaughter Kipikane. He was awarded two acres of land and given permission to wrangle the cattle that had multiplied and thrived. This was the beginning of the Hawaiian Paniolo or cowboy, trained by Mexican vaqueros who Parker contracted to help out. To this day, summer in North Kohala has meant rodeos, especially on the 4th of July, and parades with magnificent Pau riders. Horses and cattle are a common sight on the many ranches throughout the area. The August exhibit will include depictions of the Waimea paniolos and their animals.
Another favorite summer pastime is fun at our glorious beaches. See representations of families enjoying beach activities, as well as paintings of the beaches themselves. The back gallery will feature “Anything Blue”, so expect lots of artwork featuring water.
All exhibitors are local artists and many different mediums will be represented including paintings, jewelry, sculpture and much more.
