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"Mark Boots
Keahi‘a‘amau pio‘ole i ka poli o Pele Lupenui is a largely
self-taught Native Hawaiian artist, illustrator, and graphic designer.
Through his work he strives to create strong, positive, and thoughtful
images of Hawai‘i and Hawaiians, so that our children might gain
pride in their culture and heritage. Lupenui has done design and illustration
work for private and corporate clients in the United States and Japan,
for entities including the Kamehameha Schools, WalMart, ABC Stores, and
various publications, including Honolulu Magazine. After studying
with reknowned artists and teachers Snowden Hodges and Norm Graffam, Lupenui
came under the spell of oil painting in the traditional style of European
masters.
Today his paintings and drawings can be found in private
and corporate collections. Lupenui was a 2004 national award recipient
for Sappi's "Ideas That Matter" and was also awarded a John
Young Scholarship in 2006. He has been a featured artist in the First
Friday gallery walk in downtown Honolulu, and his work can currently be
found through Fine Arts Associates and Cedar Street Gallery, both located
in Honolulu."
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| MG: |
Aloha mai. Maybe we could start by talking
a little bit about your family. What are your parents’ names?
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| BL: |
Sure, my dad is Mike, and my mom is Betty Ann.
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| MG: |
Do you have a favorite memory of growing up?
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| BL: |
I grew up in such a great neighborhood, in Kāne‘ohe,
just a mile from where my wife and I live right now and where my parents
still live. When I was growing up just about the entire neighborhood
was made up of local families. I have two younger brothers and there
were a whole bunch of other young kids our age in the neighborhood
then. We all did everything together, if one went swimming to Coconut
Island, everybody went swimming; if we decided to have a bicycle race,
about thirty kids would line up at the starting point. We thought
nothing of stopping off for a snack or drink of water at anybody’s
house, because each family was like an extension of the others, so
any mom or dad could discipline us or take care of our scrapes and
bumps from playing too hard. The whole neighborhood looked after us
and that fostered the attitude that each of us was responsible for
the rest of us. That made for a very safe and secure environment in
which to live. Just as importantly, it taught us to have respect not
just for your own parents, but also for the other parents and elders
who had a hand in taking care of us. I couldn’t imagine growing up
in a better place than that.
|
MG: |
You refer to some of your works as "Hawaiian art" -- what
does that mean to you? |
BL: |
To me it means art made by Hawaiians, that portrays Hawaiian people
or Hawaiian subject matter. Not all of my work
is Hawaiian art because I have many interests and viewpoints, but
several
of my completed works and many of my ideas for current and future
works fit
that definition. |
MG: |
Were you mostly self-taught? |
BL: |
For the most part. I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember, but
about two and a half years ago I took a six-week summer course at
Windward Community College that covers drawing and painting techniques
used by masters from the European Rennaisance. |
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That class got me hooked on the fine arts whereas up until that time
I had been doing illustration and graphic design. After the summer
class ended I decided to enroll at WCC and take more classes. Two
years later I received my Academic Subject Certificate and by that
time I had already sold some of my work- that was it, I was hooked
on the fine arts.
|
MG: |
Do you have a favorite theme or piece that you’ve done? |
BL: |
I think my favorite piece right now is a diptych- two sections, each
four feet square. It’s sort of a then and now piece. The first one
called "Paradise" portrays a Hawaiian sitting in the forest of old
Hawaiÿi, and everything looks serene and all the colors are blues
and greens. The second one is called "Lost" and it is my depiction
of the modern-day equivalent of "Paradise". It shows a modern-day
Hawaiian sitting in the midst of downtown skyscrapers and everything
looks hot and toxic and ominous. All the colors are yellows, reds
and oranges. It’s the piece that has been the most moving for me to
work on and I really enjoy seeing people respond to it. Often it facilitates
discussions dealing with the current state of our people and our culture,
and I’m glad it does that.
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| MG: |
A lot of artists have shared that mana‘o, art
gets people talking. |
BL:
|
Yeah, and It’s really rewarding. To see that a piece of art could
move people to talk about or even just think about a particular idea
or topic shows the power of art and the responsibility the artist
has. |
MG: |
That might be a less threatening way to broach some of these topics.
|
BL: |
I think so. Historically, art has been used in this way for generations.
We are so lucky to have such a wonderful forum and outlet. |
MG: |
So, before that one summer class, you were illustrating? |
BL: |
Illustration and graphic design, yes. I still do both, but I prefer
fine art. I think each of those things informs the other and I like
that sort of cross-pollination.
|
MG:
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Is anyone else in your family artistic? |
BL: |
My dad is a terrific artist and an amazing musician as well. All three
of us kids play instruments and sing although I’m the only one foolish
enough to go out and play in public- you’d think doing art would be
enough risky behavior! |
MG: |
So your family was pretty supportive? |
BL: |
Very supportive -- they still are. They always encouraged us to "do
our thing". I look back now and realize that they were always subtly
trying to get me to develop my art further, and I’m glad they gave
me that support and freedom, or else I might be a dentist or something,
making tons of money right now. |
MG: |
What would you want people to know about your art? |
BL: |
I think I’d like people to know that I consider the ability to make
art, a gift that I’ve been given and that I consider the art I make,
a gift that I am able to give back. I love doing what I’m doing and
I think that any kind of success I achieve as a result of that gift
is not so much a reflection on me as it is a reflection on the people
who have supported and nurtured my development all along- my parents,
my wife, Cheryl, my teachers- they should get the credit if there
is any credit to be given. I feel so lucky just to be on this path,
making my art, exploring ideas and expressing myself. I hope people
can see the joy and passion behind each piece regardless of the subject
matter. There are times in the making of each painting or drawing
when the feeling I get is like a kid opening presents at Christmas
time, it’s that much of a gift to me. That’s what people should know
about my art. |
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Cheryl and Boots Lupenui.
Left: Kanaka Maoli 1.
Right: Kanaka Maoli 2.
(click to enlarge image)
Filipina.
Up Against The Wall, You
Furry Bastard.
Says Lupenui, "A lot of what I do has a sense of humor, and
I try not to take things so seriously in my work."
Untitled.
Water Abstract.
Pono.
Paradise/ Lost.
Paradise.
Lost.
Absolutely
Haumea.
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