The Curtis Wilson Cost Gallery

Eleven Thousand Acres, 2010

The title, Eleven Thousand Acres, refers to Ulupalakua Ranch joining the Maui Coastal Land Trust, an amazing statement all by itself. The painting is a depiction of a little patch of Hawaiian moa growing in the curve of a fallen branch of ohia lehua on an outcropping of rock. The moa is protected from the suffocating kikuyu grass by virtue of its fortuitous location.

Ulupalakua itself is a fortuitous location for the return of such species in the protective care of Sumner Erdman, Art Medeiros, the MCLT, et al. In the shadow of a grandfather koa tree at the edge of an ohia lehua forest overlooking the Ulupalakua coastline stands eleven thousand acres reaching forward to protect the past. This painting celebrates their stewardship.

A personal aside regarding this painting...

A few hours before the sun came up on a Friday morning I became aware I was having a vivid dream. Although I was not aware of it until that moment, I'd had this dream before. In the dream I'd covered my canvas with linseed oil. I was painting in very precise "rays of light" across the foreground of my painting using a fluffy 4 inch household paint roller. These "rays" were turning out perfectly using the roller. I knew if I went back to sleep without writing this down, I'd forget the dream as I had once before. I fumbled around in the dark to find my cellphone on the headboard and dashed off an email "note to self". Just to make sure, I cc'd my wife, Jill. It took two dreams and a cryptic email, but I eventually got the message. The next day I painted exactly as I'd done in the dream and it worked beautifully. As I stood back admiring the way the sunlight appeared to stream through the painting, I got a call in my studio from Jill, puzzled by my email. She'd thought I'd finally gone off the deep end and suggested I reread my "note to self" email. It read, "Do u have a fluffy roller I can use to roll in my beams of light?"

Available Works

Custom Order

All artwork is available in many custom sizes both unframed and framed. Inquire about Eleven Thousand Acres by emailing info@costgallery.com.