wendyrobertsfineart.com
@wendyrobertsfineart on Instagram and Facebook
Birds of Kalalau
Oil on Panel
24 x 36
Once on a vacation to Kauai, I watched the white tailed tropic birds as they glided in graceful arcs through the sky, catching updrafts from the ocean wind and the steep Pali. I felt as if I were watching a flock of mythical firebirds. I also saw glimpses of i’iwi in the branches of the ohia trees. When I think of Kalalau, not only do I long to sit on the cliff top and look out over the pristine valley, 4000 feet above the ocean, but I also wish I could hike with the i’iwi birds again and listen to their unusual metallic calls and watch the tropic birds sail on the breeze with their long tails trailing behind them.
Lunch with a Friend: Honu and Saddle Wrasse
Oil on Canvas
5 x 7 inches
Based on a charming underwater photo by a friend, Karen Williams Bryan (@manini722), who captured a behavior I have noticed while Scuba diving. I have watched fish follow a turtle before, browsing for food on the reef while using the turtle’s body as a shield. Other fish clean the algae off the turtle’s shell, but the fish I observed were like this little saddle wrasse, not cleaning the turtle, but meandering and grazing in silent companionship from the same patch of reef as if on a lunch date with the turtle.
WENDY ROBERTS
After living in a variety of regions on the mainland, Wendy settled with her husband and two daughters surrounded the mountains of Kailua. Among the beauty of the lush forests, sheer mountains, and gorgeous beaches of the windward side, Wendy has found a deep sense of peace and inspiration. Her connection to the land, the ocean, and their natural inhabitants motivates her to capture and share their beauty. She hopes it will inspire love and care for nature, particularly endangered plants and birds, and the preservation of green spaces. In each painting, she balances realism and painterly qualities to suit each image.
Wendy is a current member and recent board member of both the Windward Artists Guild (2013 – 2020) and the Association of Hawaii Artists (2017 – 2019). She is also currently working with Downtown Art Center as a volunteer webmaster. Additionally, she recently served on the board for Kailua Historical Society (2016 – 2018). She is also an associate member of the Oil Painters of America.