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Four Sisters
Pastel
14 x 11 inches
View from Waimanalo Beach
Pastel
11 x 14 inches
THERESE BABINEAU
Ironwood Trees at Waimanalo Beach, Tree Study
Walking my dog, Nani, at Waimanalo Beach has given me the inspiration to collect visuals of the comely Ironwood trees fringing the beach. These graceful giants of Sherwood Forest each have a story to tell. Their trunks vary in size and form; some seem to widely plant themselves into the ground while others grow upward without much mass in the trunks. Their branches and needles move in the wind, echoing against the sound of the waves, is as if to declare that they are in hope of reaching the sky.
The beauty, grace and strength of these ironwoods appeal to my sense of wonder in nature. Although my camera does not always do justice to them, I use it to record my time walking through the forest in anticipation of being in the right place at the right time to preserve the moments there and perhaps inspire a painting. Sketch book in hand, I observe the quality and movement of the light since photography can’t convey the information my eyes tell me about the light. I ask myself, “what is special about the light and where are the shadows?”
Back in my studio I review prints of various compositions that speak to me. Working out any compositional changes from the photographs is both creative and rewarding. From there I start my painting with the confidence that can come from previsualization.
I hope you enjoy viewing these pastel paintings.
Curriculum Vitae:
Solo Exhibitions
Legacy of the Landscape: Archaeological Sites in the Hawaiian Islands Red Oak Gallery, Berkeley, CA, August, 1998 Volcano Art Center, Volcano National Park, Hawai’I, July, 1999 Center for the Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA, October, 1997 Hearst Museum of Anthropology, UC Berkeley, March, 1999
Rapanui: Landscape Portraits on Easter Island Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA, April 1998
Field Sights: Portraits of Berkeley Anthropologists in the Field, 1901-1995
Hearst Museum of Anthropology, UC Berkeley, November, 1995
Group Exhibitions
Pastel Artists of Hawai’I 16th Annual Open Juried Show, November, 2019
Windward Artist Guild 59th Annual Members Show, October 2019
Windward Artist Guild’s Board Members Show, August, 2019
Annual Members Show, Richmond Art Center, June 2014
East Bay Women Artists, Royal Grounds, Oakland, CA March, 2000
Pro Arts, Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, CA, April 1999
8 Exposed, Hollis Street Project, Emeryville, CA, February, 1997
Publications
Legacy of the Landscape: An Illustrated Guide to Hawaiian Archaeological Sites
University of Hawai’i Press, ninety black and white duo tone plates, 1996
Reviews
Anthropology Today, Vol. 12, No. 12, February, 1996 review of Field Sights
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 223, 1996, review of Legacy of the Landscape (book)
Maui News, December 12, 1996, review of Legacy of the Landscape (book)
Nominations
Finalist for “Excellency in Photography,” Hawai’I Book Publishers Association, for Legacy of the Landscape (book), 1997
Bodies of Work
HOME: A Collection from Maine, California and Hawai’i, on-going
On the Calvados Coast, Normandy, France, 1999
The Marquesas: Remote Islands of Eastern Polynesia, 1998
Rapanui: Landscape Portraits on Easter Island, 1998
Legacy of the Landscape: Archaeological Sites in the Hawaiian Islands, 1993
Affiliations
Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, Hawai’i
Pastel Artists of Hawai’I Society, Hawai’i
Volcano Art Center, Volcano National Park, Hawai’i
Windward Artists Guild, Oahu, Hawai’i