Upcountry Maui, 1985
What I was drawn to when I went to do this painting was the deep perspective. To be able to look down from a lofty perch and see all that you can see strikes a chord within my soul that sets me to painting.
There's something about an island hanging like a backdrop on a very large stage with cloud shadows that hint at the immensity of the span of the ocean; all of Upcountry life is infused with it even if not consciously.
The Jacaranda is a signature of Kula, and the water tank is a part of rural life. It all works together to communicate, at least for me, that life in this part of the world is all right and probably always will be.