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Hawai’i’s Art Collectors Flex and Release

Erin Paris
Erin Paris

Mid-century Modern happens to be a design phase Hawai’i did rather well.  Now a new generation has a chance to snap up some of the finest local artworks of the period.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports on a rare opportunity to acquire art by Hawai’i masters and benefit the Hawaii State Art Museum.

Erin Paris
Credit Erin Paris
John Kjargaard. Hawaiian Armor.
hisamWeb.mp3
Senior art appraiser Wayne Morioka, art dealer/personal property appraiser Andres Harnisch, and Friends of HiSAM President, Joyce Okano. They discuss what they look for in artworks, trends in the market, giclees, and offer collecting tips.

The Hawai’i Master Artists Show and sale is set for next week Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th at the Hawai’i State Art Museum.  

You can view and purchase art from the private collections of esteemed collectors including Satoru Abe, Greg Northrop, Henry Blakstad.  Included in the sale are all Hawai’i works from the estate of long time Honolulu curator Jay Jensen.

Erin Paris
Credit Erin Paris
John Kjargaard. Summer. Oil on canvas.

On May 3, a private preview event will be held from 5:30 – 8 p.m. for members of the Friends of HiSAM (FHiSAM.) To become a member, click HERE.

Opens to the public:

May 4, First Friday, 5:30 – 9 p.m. (valet parking on Richards St.)
May 5, 10 a.m. – noon

For inquiries about this event, please email friendsofhisam@gmail.com or call 808-225-1072.

Senior art appraiser and art consultant Wayne Morioka says the first step to becoming interested in art is to look.

Morioka:  When you start looking and you say, I like this, I don’t like this, then the second question after that, why? 

That is how collecting becomes self-discovery.

Noe Tanigawa
Credit Noe Tanigawa
(l) Andres Harnisch, dealer for art, antiques, jewelry and collectibles, he is a personal property appraiser through his business, Andres Harnisch Brokerage. (r) Wayne Morioka, Senior Art Appraiser, senior member of the American Society of Appraisers, and Art Consultant for close to 43 years. He is also an accomplished artist.

Morioka:  Look, ask, and see what you like but also what you don’t like. Because many times that will give you some direction. 

Andres Harnisch is a dealer and personal property appraiser, of Andres Harnisch Brokerage.

Harnisch:  Wayne was always someone that helped me in the beginning, and still to this day, identify things and he always pointed out to me look at the workmanship, look at the detail on this, and so for me, the more I deal with things, the more interesting things I find and the more interested I’m getting.

Harnisch:  I love things that have age and I love things that have a story.  A big part for me is when I get a piece I always imagine the artist that painted it or the artist that carved it 500 years ago.  I’d love for these pieces to speak to me.

Morioka:  If you look at trends in art, no one has a crystal ball, absolutely no one has a crystal ball.  It’s a gamble.  So the best advice we can give is, buy what you like.  Because no matter what happens, you will always like what you bought.

Jessica Fone
Credit Jessica Fone
Joyce Okano, President, Friends of HiSAM.

How do people start?  You can take the plunge at the Hawai’i Master Artists Showand benefit the Hawai’i State Art Museum HiSAM at the same time.  Friends of HiSAMboar president Joyce Okano.

Okano:  We’ve been very lucky in that we have a strong art community that really believes in collecting art and being sure there are careers in the future for artists here in Hawai’i.   

Okano:  Really, many of these people are donating pieces because they want to help Hawai’i’s young people and new collectors start.

Morioka:  Many of these artists she mentioned, there are significant pieces being offered for sale.

Among the artists represented: 

Satoru Abe  |  Bumpei Akaji  |  Frank Beaver  |  Allyn Bromley  |  Ken Bushnell Jean Charlot  |  Lee Chesney  |  Isami Doi  |  Juliet May Fraser  |  Luigi Fumagali
Helen Gilbert  |  Hon Chew Hee  |  Charles Higa  |  Ryan Higa  |  Winifred Hudson

Kenna Reed
Credit Kenna Reed
Ken Bushnell

Omara Islas  |  Ron Kent  |  John Kjargaard  |  Keichi Kimura  |  Sueko Kimura
Hamilton Kobayashi  |  John Koga  |  Harue McVay  |  Rick Mills  |  Mary Mitsuda
Hiroki Morinoue  |  Deb Nemad  |  Bob Ochikubo  |  Gabor Peterdi  |  Louis Pohl
Laura Ruby  |  Tadashi Sato  |  Lawrence Seward  |  Esther Shimazu  |  Chitra Stuiver
Boyd Sugiki  |  Toshiko Takaezu  |  Ruben Tam  |  Madge Tennent  |  Michael Tom
Lonny Tomono  |  Ivan Treskow  |  Harry Tsuchidana  |  John Wisnosky
Glenn Yamanoha  |  John Young

Morioka:  These are very good pieces and they represent the best artists that Hawaii has produced in recent times. 

There are many works by living artists, including the entire collection of local artworks in the Estate of Jay Jensen, perhaps the most influential curator to date in contemporary Hawai'i. 

Kenna Reed
Credit Kenna Reed
Ryan Higa.

Morioka:  Just come.  Just come, ask questions.  Ask a lot of questions.

Morioka says, ask what medium it is, what it’s made of, and go from there.  I asked, what would you pay for a giclee?

Uh haaaaaa, uh...

For the answer to that and a wealth of collecting tips, check the extended interview online.  Find out more about the Hawai'i Master Artists Show at the Friends of HiSAM website.

Mahalo to the collectors contributing to this Show and Sale, including Andres Harnisch, H. Brian Moore, Dale Ruff, Greg Northrup, Hamilton Kobayashi, Harry Tsuchidana, Henry Blakstad, Nancy and Herb Conley, Jay Jensen’s Estate, John Koga, Juli Kimura Walters, Keiko Hatano, M. Wisnosky, Neil Bellinger, Roger Bellinger, Peter Drewliner, Phil Samulski, Satoru Abe, Kathy and Wayne Shimizu, and Warren Haruki.

Erin Paris
Credit Erin Paris
Robert Ochikubo.

Noe Tanigawa covered art, culture and ideas for two decades at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
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