Ikaika
Paintings + Sculpture by Mac James
April 29 – June 12, 2010
The exhibit "Ikaika" (meaning to be strong) features recent painting and sculpture by nationally acclaimed artist Mac James of Anahola. The works in "Ikaika" chronicle a story of animals and sea life on and around Kauai, including various trees portrayed as souled beings. James adds a written narrative to many of his pieces in order to expand the tale, working the writing into the composition, not just adding it as an afterthought. Story and folklore thus extend through many of the works, as do the artist’s own tales of Anahola.
The Salt Akua SOLD
2009-10
Oil,graphite, rain,sun,red dirt,mold,sea salt, seawater on seamed sailcloth
78” x 120”
Effigy For The Mano Akua
2010
Wire, plaster, paper mache, casting, red dirt, red salt, seawater, kaula
48” x 120”
Baitball
2009
Oil + graphite on canvas over veneer
64” x 96”
Backstory –
A baitball is a welcome sight to ocean life - a whirling ball of succulent bait fish await all who can catch them. Alas, our baitball is a dervish of meals at the ends of hooks and nets, mixed with eroded nature and the remains of the day. View all new paintings
The Glass Ball Coming Ashore in Anahola
2009
Oil + graphite on canvas
54” x 60”
The Twins
2007
Oil + graphite on canvas
60” x45 1/2”
Inscribed + painted on face –
Whistle. These twins watch over Anahola Bay on Kaua‘i. Breakage from Iniki hurricane 15 years ago is
evident and is part of their evolution. Ironwood skin is like nightmarchers huddled together for strength and
mischief. Bark like iron armor invincible before nature. Iron root system helps to hold the beach together. The
whistle on the wind is bright and clear as the needles collect the breezy trades.
Maile' Kai
2008
Oil + graphite on canvas
52x60
Feeding Off Kealia
2006
Oil + graphite on canvas
66” x 55 1/2”
Aliomano + Kahala Point From Anahola Bay
2010
Oil + graphite on canvas over veneer
32 1/2” x 24”
Shark Fin Soup SOLD
2009
24" diameter
Oil + graphite on canvas over veneer
U Go Boy!
2008
Oil + graphite on canvas
56” x 75”
Inscribed + painted on face –
Pounded, whipped, starved, preyed upon, carved into, and admired by Time, evolving while alone – U Go Boy!
The Seeer
2010
Oil + graphite on canvas over veneer
60”x 48”
Alala
2008
Oil + graphite on veneer
47” x 32”
Inscribed + painted on face –
Alala (Hawaiian Crow) 52 are bred in captivity and 0 remain in the wild at this time. 11.23.07 on Kaua‘i. 104
Eyes of Alala telling story from above (numbered) 1-104 (eyes) Ohana only to Hawaii
Kidnapped
2008
Oil + graphite on canvas
48" x 46"
Inscribed + painted on face –
Each year 2,000,000 (two million) Native and Ohana fishes and invertebrae are kidnapped and shipped all over the world from the Hawaiian Islands. Less than 40% survive the capture to tank at the pet shop.
Akua Of Anahola
2009
36” x 84”
Oil + graphite on canvas over venee
Death By Plastic
2007
Oil + graphite on canvas
44" x 48"
Inscribed + painted on face –
Death By Plastic – This Masked Booby is a natural born collector/purveyor like us all. Though selective he eats first and is not concerned with content, only the need to feed. A child’s plastic horse (tail-less and 3 legs) actually found in a mature adult. The ingestion of plastic debris kills ¾ of the new colony each year in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. Another man-made catastrophe in the shadow of preservation…
Six Mules
2010
Oil + graphite on canvas
41 1/2” x 52”
Inscribed + painted on face –
As reported on CNN these 6 mules ($lang for drug messengers) represent 1000's more so called caught commercially, slaughtered and stuffed at sea with all the cocaine they could carry frozen, and shipped to America for dog + cat food - seized by the DEA
Deep In Polynesia
2005
Oil + graphite on canvas
42” x 52”
Mac James BIO b 1957 Dunedin, Florida
Solo Exhibitions
2009 Kauai Museum, True Story Still Going On Kauai Hawaii Paintings + Drawings 2004-8, 2009, Kauai, HI
2007 Time/Space Gallery, Feeding On Kauai, Hanapepe, HI
2003 Rosamund Felsen Gallery, Unature, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2002 Rosamund Felsen Gallery, New Work, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
1998 Lucas Schoormans / Susan Jensen, New Works on Paper, Los Angeles, CA
1996 Jugendhilfe Galerie, City Views + Urban Creatures, Dusseldorf, German
Lincoln Center, New York Anatomy Lesson, Paintings, Collages + Works On Paper
Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center, New York, NY
1995 Barbara Braathen Gallery, Paintings + Works on Paper, Soho, NY
1993 Tribeca Gallery, New Paintings, Tribeca, NY
1991 Thomas Solomon’s Garage, New Works, Los Angeles, CA
1991 Iccan Gallery, Paintings 1984-1990, Los Angeles, CA
1986 Himovitz/Salamon Gallery, New Paintings, Sacramento, CA
Group Exhibitions
2009 Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2008 Cedar Street Gallery, Matchbox IV, Invitational Exhibition, Honolulu, HI
The Arts At Mark’s Garage, Eco-Logic, Invitational Exhibition, Honolulu, HI
Kauai Society of Artists, Art Kauai 2008, Juried Exhibition, Kauai, Hi
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2007 Kauai Society of Artists, Art Kauai 2007, Juried Exhibition, Kauai, HI
Kauai Society of Artists, KSA Members Exhibition, Kauai, HI
2005 Ace Gallery, The Great Peace March, Invitational Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational
Contemporary Arts at Ala Moana Center, New Paintings By Mac James at Chanel, Honolulu, HI
Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2006 Kauai Society of Artists, Art Kauai 2006, Juried Exhibition, Kauai, HI
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational
Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2005 Kauai Society of Artists, Art Kauai 2005, Juried Exhibition, Kauai, HI
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational
Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2004 Laguna Museum, Group Invitational, Laguna Beach, CA
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2003 Laguna Museum, Summer Group Invitational, Laguna Beach, CA
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2002 Laguna Museum, Summer Group Invitational, Laguna Beach, CA
Santa Monica Museum of Art, Incognito, Invitational Exhibition, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2000 Nautica Gallery, Group Summer Show, Quogue, New York, NY
1994 Union League Gallery, Three Painters, New York, NY
1993 Bridgewater/Lustberg Gallery, Wildlife, New York, NY
1990 Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Annual Group Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA
A.T.L.A. (Alternative Space Los Angeles), Invitational Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA
Parker-Zanic Gallery, Invitational Exhibition, LosAngeles, CA
1989 Parker-Zanic Gallery, 200 Los Angeles Painters, Los Angeles, CA