Our Artists Artists     Master Artist     Our Artists Our artists and their proposed design concepts. Artist: Doug Young The Sunbather Type: IND Link: www.younghawaii.com/dy_index_home/dy_index/dy_gecko.html Bio: Doug Young grew up in Hawai?i and has been a full-time artist since 1973. He is married to artist-sculptress Babs Miyano-Young, with whom he has two daughters. His fun and colorful gecko design, The Sunbather, evokes a typical hotel poolside sun worshipper. To achieve his gecko?s ?belly up? reclining posture, he had to carefully break apart its original design and reassemble it. Educated at New York University, Coe College and University of Hawai?i at Manoa, Young was the assistant to realist sculptor Duane Hanson in both New York and Germany, to Ivan Karp at O.K. Harris in Soho and to other well-known artists. Young?s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in the US and abroad. Some of his public works and commissions include First Hawaiian Towers, The Estate of James Campbell executive offices, Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco, Hawai?i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Security Pacific National Bank in Los Angeles and San Francisco, The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu and Honolulu Academy of Arts. He was awarded the Individual Artist Fellowship from the Hawai?i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and is part of several books, including Artist/Hawai?i 1996, The Artist As Native: Reinventing Regionalism and The Persis Collection of Contemporary Art. To learn more about Doug Young, visit www.younghawaii.com. Artist: Satoru Abe Kiku Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/abe.html Bio: Satoru Abe, an elected ?Living Treasure? of Hawai?i, has painted and sculpted full-time for more than 56 years. His work is shown extensively both nationally and internationally, including at the Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum and The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu, where in 1998 he held a 50-year retrospective show. His pieces are found in collections worldwide. Abe specialized in painting at the Art Students League in New York. He later returned to live in New York and was affiliated with the Sculpture Center, where he held three solo shows. During that time he also received a Simon Guggenheim Grant. He moved back home to Hawaii in 1970. His gecko design is Kiku, a natural-colored lizard that rests on a bed of leaves composed of copper and brass metal with green patina. Satoru?s Art Gallery is located at 888 N. King Street, on Oah?u. Artist: Margo Goodwill Astro Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/goodwill.html Bio: M. Goodwill originates from California, but has lived in Alaska, New York, New Mexico, Holland, England and the North Shore of Oah?u, where she has been happily situated for the last 13 years. A professional artist for more than 30 years, she is also a published poet and journalist as well as an avid seafarer who sailed around the world her first year out of college. Goodwill combines inspiration from the classic Western masters, Impressionists and Primitives with her own artistic interpretation, often using lush, tropical imagery to reflect the spirit, color and texture of the Hawaiian Islands. Astro Gecko, her original design, features a deep blue Hawaiian evening sky illuminated with a constellation of stars. Goodwill?s education includes California College of Arts and Crafts; University of California, Santa Barbara; and Carnegie-Mellon. Her paintings and sculptures are in galleries, private collections and public spaces worldwide, ranging from The Wave nightclub in Waikiki to Stanford University, Honolulu Academy of Arts and the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. She also produces a Hawaiiana collection of hand-tinted prints, designer fabrics, calendars, journals and more for the local market. Discover more about M. Goodwill at www.mgoodwill.com. Artist: Shawn Ardoin Rainbow Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/ardoin.html Bio: At an early age, the simple and subtle shapes occurring in nature profoundly impacted artist Shawn J. Ardoin. His painting compositions and images are influences by these shapes, their relationships to two-dimensional design theories and the connection Hawaiian islanders feel with the ocean. One of his favorite artistic subjects emerged from his explorations: fish. Ardoin?s fish paintings are very simple; and, as collectors of his work often say, they convey a sense of whimsy and joy through their vibrant colors, shapes and compositions. His painting School Of Rainbow Fish was the inspiration for Rainbow Gecko. Rainbow Gecko is decorated with a colorful school of fish swimming along its back, representing the colors of the rainbow. When viewed at close range, the individual fish stand out; from a distance, the school of fish morph into a more abstract image of scales. To illustrate the unity of people and the ocean, Rainbow Gecko blends the life of the sea, represented by the school of fish, with the life of the land, represented by the both the gecko and one of Hawai?i?s most prolific treasures, the rainbow. Artist: Jackie Watson Ms. Endangered Hawaiian Plants Keakalina Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/watson.html Bio: In 1997 Jackie Watson developed a project for Fairhaven Middle School children in Bellingham, Washington, requiring them to research endangered plants worldwide. Students selected a particular plant, drew a design of it, created a stencil and painted the flower from the stencil onto a silk banner, which was then displayed at Big Rock Sculpture Park in Bellingham. That project was the beginning of Watson?s passion for endangered plants. Upon moving to Hawai?i in 1999, she discovered more than 250 endangered plants to study. A self-taught artist who has painted and sculpted for many years, her research led to a series of paintings on Hawaiian endangered plants. Her gecko design naturally follows her interest in both art and plants. Entitled Ms. Endangered Hawaiian Plants Keakalina, this environmentally-friendly gecko is stenciled with an array of Hawaiian endangered plants. Ms. Endangered Hawaiian Plants Keakalina not only illuminates the beauty of Hawaiian plants, but also serves as a reminder of Hawai?i?s fragile and unique ecosystem. Watson has exhibited her work in several Hawai?i shows, such as Honolulu Academy of Arts Artists of Hawaii 2003, as well as in galleries in Washington and California. Artist: Susan Szabo Kalo Mo`o Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/szabo.html Bio: Susan Szabo?s skilled use of colorful hues in elegant compositions has become her trademark as an artist. A resident of Kailua, O?ahu, where she lives with her husband and daughter, she is renowned for her ability to capture the essence of Hawai?i`s nature and people using her personal palette of colors. Her original gecko design, Kalo Mo`o, reflects Szabo?s signature style and ability: taro leaves adorn a sky blue background in homage to the beauty of Hawai?i?s jungles and rainforests. Szabo?s formal education includes the Ontario College of Art and Central Technical School in Toronto. She is a member of the Hawai?i Watercolor Society and her work appears in prominent galleries throughout Hawai?i and the mainland as well as in private collections worldwide. Her art was selected for the 1998/1999 Hawai?i telephone book covers, and she was Feature Artist for Hawaiian Airlines 1997-1999 and Aloha Airlines throughout 2001. Szabo was also the recipient of three Ka Palapala Po?okela awards in 2001 for her artwork in the children?s book A Beautiful Hawaiian Day, written by well-known island musician Henry Kapono. Visit Susan Szabo?s website at www.susanszabo.com to learn more about the artist and her work. Artist: Laura Ruby Mo`o Gecko`Ili`ili Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/ruby.html Bio: Local artist Laura Ruby has been in the public eye for more than 25 years, and her prints and sculptures are exhibited both nationally and abroad. Mo?o Gecko ?Ili?ili celebrates the geology, history and significant community features of the Honolulu district Mo?ili?ili. The area?s topography inspired her gecko?s name: the curving contour of its form, like a lava flow rising above the open, flat Waikiki plane, suggests a mo?o, a mythological lizard-like creature. Mo?o were often associated with springs and ponds, of which Mo?ili?ili had many. ?Ili?ili are small stones or pebbles, sometimes rounded by water action, suggesting the pebble texture of a mo?o. The painted map on the surface of Mo?o Gecko ?Ili?ili captures the collective memory of the Mo?ili?ili community, invoking its topography, quarry, churches, parks, schools, theater, Humane Society, caverns and ponds, both of today and yesterday. Ruby studied at University of Southern California, San Francisco State College and University of Hawai?i at Manoa, earning an MA in English as well as an MFA in art. Her work has been commissioned by and shown at numerous galleries and museums, including Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawai?i State Art Museum, Utah Museum of Natural History and Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art. Learn more about artist Laura Ruby at www.hawaii.edu/lruby. Artist: Jinja Kim Sid Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/kim.html Bio: Jinja Kim has lived in Hawai?i for over 30 years. Although she has also lived in New York, France, Italy and Korea, she considers Hawai?i the best place to live and work year-round. As an artist with a painting and printmaking background who typically works with two-dimensional surfaces, Kim finds the three-dimensional gecko a fun and refreshing challenge. Kim has created her design in honor of Koreans in Hawai?i and her own Korean heritage. ABC Stores, which is sponsoring the project, will hold a contest to name the gecko. Kim trained at University of Hawai?i at Manoa; Pratt Institute, New York; Atelier 17, Paris; Pratt Graphics Studio, Italy; and Ewha Women?s University, Korea; she has also taught art at several college-level institutions in Hawai?i. Her work has appeared in many galleries and museums, including Honolulu Academy of Arts, The Contemporary Museum of Honolulu, At Gallery in Japan, Seinajoen Taidehlli Museum in Finland and La Cit? des Arts, Paris. Artist: Ron Kent Jackson P. Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/kent.html Bio: Married with two grown children, Ron Kent is a full-time studio artist who has lived in Hawai?i for nearly 40 years. He exhibits a broad range of mixed (and, as he puts it, ?mangled?) media, particularly turned Norfolk pine. An experimental artist who challenges his own aesthetic, Kent?s work is coveted in the permanent collections of The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution and the White House. Jackson P. Gecko is a whimsical, colorful interpretation of Hawai?i?s state bird?not exactly as he is, but as perhaps he would wish to be. Jackson P. is opalescent lavender flecked with gold, and his ?strings and splotches? scrollwork patterning, a tribute to his namesake, are bright metallic. Kent is a graduate of UCLA, where he studied mechanical engineering. His long-time involvement in Hawai?i?s art community includes the Pacific Handcrafters? Guild, Windward Artist Guild, Hawai?i Craftsmen and Association of Honolulu Artists (of which he has been president three times). His work has been selected for public presentation to numerous visiting honoraries, including Emperor Akihito of Japan, President William Clinton, President Ronald Reagan and His Holiness Pope John Paul II. Visit www.ronkent.com to learn more about artist Ron Kent. Artist: Linda Kane Royal Hawaiian Flyin` Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/kane.html Bio: Artist Linda Kane finds inspiration in the natural environment of Hawai?i and how it is framed within sociological, political and cultural contexts. Her latest works are large-scale charcoal drawings that reveal the intersection of landscape and cultural treasures created by kanaka maoli, which are still found in situ. The haunting mystery of these sacred places influences her creative process and is manifested in the finished works. Royal Hawaiian Flyin? Gecko recalls the regal quality and colors of traditional Hawaiian feather works, especially as found in royal capes and headdresses. Coated entirely in feather, Royal Hawaiian Flyin? Gecko?s colors are goldenrod, red and black. Kane holds both a BFA and MFA from University of Hawai?i at Manoa. Her exhibits include shows at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawai?i Pacific University and galleries at University of Hawai?i at Manoa. She has also won numerous awards, including First Place in ?Commitment to Excellence? at Linekona Art Center; The Alfred Preis Memorial Award, Honolulu Academy of Arts; and Outstanding Achievement in Art Scholarship, Honolulu. Her work is in the permanent collections of Honolulu Academy of Arts, The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, First Hawaiian Bank, Persis Corporation and HMHB Coalition of Hawai?i. Artist: Ingrid Manzione Geckoman Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/manzione.html Bio: Originally from Germany, artist Ingrid Manzione has lived in Hawai?i for nearly 20 years. Her current focus is taking slices of life?ordinary moments, moments that are universal?and placing them on canvas. Her paintings reveal moments that bring rise to emotions and times lost, but not forgotten, in our lives. The figure, whether that of a human or an animal, provides endless shapes and colors that continue to challenge and hold Manzione?s interest. Equally important to her are the effects of light on color and how it plays off shapes, changing hues dramatically and creating canvases within canvases. To date Manzione?s sculptures have been in ceramics and silver. She is thrilled by the prospects of transforming her gecko into Geckoman, a play on Spider-Man. Geckoman must change from a animal into a man?a reverse take on the comic book hero, who changes from a man into an animal. To achieve his makeover, Manzione must disassemble her gecko and painstakingly fit him together in his new guise. Manzione?s education includes Mississippi College, Saint Martin?s School of Art in London and University of Hawai?i at Manoa. Her recent credits include exhibits at Honolulu Academy of Arts and Al Patio Gallery, Egypt. Artist: Paul Guncheon Mirrored Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/guncheon.html Bio: Paul K. Guncheon is well-known to Hawai?i theatre audiences for his stage, film and television designs and construction. He has worked in most areas of the art department side of production and has over 30 years of experience. Mirrored Gecko is a mosaic reminiscent of mirrored balls frequently found in theaters and nightclubs, and responds to light with a multitude of brilliant, glistening reflections. Production designer for Moonglow and the multi-award winning Picture Bride, Guncheon?s recent work includes Tears Of The Sun, Windtalkers, The Big Bounce and 50 First Dates. He has also worked on a multitude of commercials for both the American and Japanese markets. Guncheon graduated cum laude in visual design from Illinois Institute of Technology/Institute of Design. Well-versed in the areas of pre-visualization, materials techniques, design and lateral procedure problem solution, he has designed and/or built over 250 stage productions. Some of his latest stage work includes building the motorized sleigh for Ballet Hawai?i?s The Nutcracker and special effects for Hawaii Opera Theatre, plus designing for All My Sons, The Guys and The Weir, all for The Actors Group. He received his 10th Po?okela Award for The Weir for excellence in theater design from the Hawaii State Film Council. Guncheon is also a member of IATSE Local 665. Artist: Anthony Randall The Auana Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/randall.html Bio: Originally from Los Angeles, textile designer and printer Anthony Randall moved to Maui in 1988 to serve as Art Director for Island Fabric Company. He later came to Oah?u to concentrate on his distinctive style of painting. A lifelong admirer of nature?s forms and colors, Randall has found his greatest artistic inspiration in Hawai?i?s fish and flowers. As an avid snorkeler and gardener, he is constantly confronted with his favorite subjects and aims to reflect their variation of form, boldness of color and playfulness in his paintings. Auana Gecko (Wandering Gecko), is a reflection of Randall?s textile-minded artistry. Auana Gecko?s playful aloha print design honors the importance of the aloha shirt in island culture, as well as its role in inspiring a worldwide affection for Hawai?i and Hawaiiana. Randall is a fine arts graduate of California State University, Northridge, and operated his own Los Angeles-based textile production company, Anthony Randall Fabrics, Inc., which produced a collection of hand-painted and one-color rotary print textile designs. Noted for his award-winning designs, he has also created collections for Indeco Enterprises, Dan River, Inc., Luis Esteves and Scandia Down Shops. To learn more about Anthony Randall, log onto www.hawaiianartist.com. Artist: Sabra Feldstein Best Dressed Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/feldstein.html Bio: Island artist Sabra Rae Feldstein began her artistic exploration at age five with colored crayons, coloring books and staying within the lines; it led to a professional career in art that has taken her around the world. Her gecko design, Best Dressed, is painted in vibrant colors to reflect his island home. Feldstein received degrees in both history and art from University of California, Berkeley, and pursued graduate studies at California College of Arts and Crafts. During her graduate work she ?met clay,? and sold her ceramic works in Hawai?i at The Following Sea, Nohea Gallery and The Contemporary Museum Gallery. She also studied graphic design and worked as a graphic artist for more than ten years, in addition to continuing clay work. In 1988 a powerful personal experience opened for her a journey into the world of painting and healing, which led to her involvement in creative programs. She has run art programs for Bosnian refugee children in Croatia and for children of violence in Los Angeles for Global Children?s Organization, shared art projects with Hospice patients and taught art for the handicapped at The Hawaii Center for Independent Living. Feldstein?s work is currently available at The Contemporary Museum Gallery. Artist: Cynthia Takamiya Sparky Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/takamiya.html Bio: Cynthia M. Takamiya was born in California and raised in Waikapu and upcountry Maui. While in architectural graduate school Takamiya worked with Alan Stacell, a painter who taught first-year structures. It was under his direction she began to develop her ideas about structure and form; his intuitiveness about how objects were built fostered an imaginative approach to design that still influences her today. Illustrating Takamiya?s innovative approach to sculptural design is her gecko, Sparky, who is entirely studded in protruding copper and steel nails, creating a textured, mosaic feel similar to a beaded gown. Takamiya holds a degree in art history from University of Hawai?i at Manoa and an advanced degree in architectural design from Texas A&M University, as well as a certificate in museum studies from George Washington University. Local exhibits include Honolulu Academy of Arts, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Queen Emma Gallery. Currently the collections manager assistant at The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu, she has worked for Honolulu Academy of Arts and the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, plus served as conservation volunteer/intern at the Smithsonian Institute?s National Museum of Natural History. Artist: Grant Kagimoto Mo`o`ili`ili Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/kagimoto.html Bio: Grant Kagimoto was born in Hilo, Hawai?i, but spent his formative years in Okinawa, Japan. He returned to Hawai?i to study design and is currently the president of Cane Haul Road, Ltd., a design and manufacturing company that has won awards from Print Magazine and the Art Directors Club as well as a Pele Award. Kagimoto?s gecko design is called Mo?o?ili?ili. Hawaiian for stone lizard or dragon, Mo?o?ili?ili celebrates the Hawaiian legend of Hi?iaka, sister of the goddess Pele, and the creation of the islands. According to legend, Hi?iaka killed a giant mo?o that was pursuing her in the Manoa/Mo?ili?ili area of O?ahu; when slayed, his spine became the dramatic mountain peaks in the back of Manoa Valley. Kagimoto received a BFA in design from University of Hawai?i at Manoa and has exhibited his work at both the Honolulu Printmakers Annual Show and The Contemporary Arts Museum in Honolulu. He has jurored for Art Maui, Congressional Art and Sterling Scholarships, and is currently board member for the City and County of Honolulu?s Commission on Culture and the Arts, Mo?ili?ili Community Center and TEMARI, Center for Asian and Pacific Art. Artist: Maritz And all that Jazz Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/maritz.html Bio: Nationally recognized artist Maritz Maritz is a native of Lima, Peru who lives part-time in Hawai?i. Her paintings combine playfulness and spirit of adventure with technique and color handling. She enjoys escaping conventional realism by exploiting her imagination; experimenting and breaking all the rules are more stimulating to her that replicating what she sees. Her distinctive technique combines watercolor pigments diluted with vodka and touched with gold leaf, and she typically works in a series of up to 20 paintings related by a common subject. Maritz calls herself a jazz painter, and has created many well-known paintings on the theme of jazz. In this spirit comes And All That Jazz, a gecko that vibrates with the sophisticated, hip sounds and style of the jazz world. Maritz studied art in both Peru and California and participated in painting workshops in Japan, Italy, France and the US. She is a member of numerous art societies, including the National Watercolor Society and National Association of Women Artists, and exhibits her work in galleries and museums nationwide and internationally. Her work is featured on the covers of art magazines and posters for art galleries, museums, jazz festivals and jazz societies. Artist: David Behlke and Bernie Moriaz Dragon Gecko Type: TEAM Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/behlkemoriaz.html Bio: Bernie Moriaz and David Behlke, both professional Hawai`i artists with life-long passions for art, have collaborated to create Dragon Gecko. Moriaz lives and works on the North Shore of Oah`u, and has been making art out of recycled materials for over 30 years. Well-known for a series of aloha shirts made out of recycled tin roofing and incorporating local subject matter such as ukuleles, food and other icons, his work is always witty, zany and filled with glitter. In his hands, a retread tire by the side of the road becomes the skin of a flying fish, or spokes and gears from old machinery become parts of fantasy birds. A fan of the humorous, his work is embraced by people from all walks of life. Behlke?s art creates spaces for the imagination to roam and explore. "I don`t make art as much as I make magic," he says. "It is of the utmost importance to pay attention to dreams and daydreams, and cultivate the ability to listen to your inner voice." He holds a BA in art from Concordia College and an MFA from Bowling Green University, and is assistant professor of art at Kapi`olani Community College, where he directs and curates the Koa Gallery exhibits. Artist: Claudia Wallace Sunburned Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/wallace.html Bio: By age nine, Claudia Wallace knew that her passion for art would become her life?s devotion. Over years of artistic exploration, Wallace discovered that her forte are the canvas and the camera, and she mixes substance with technology to capture her surroundings in an impressionistic, painterly way, using abstract forms. Sunburned Gecko is her original design. Wallace attended California College of Arts and Crafts in Berkeley, where she specialized in oil painting and ceramics, and also studied art at Windward Community College on O?ahu. She is recipient of Honorable Mention from both the Association of Hawai?i Artists and the Watercolor Society, and has held numerous showings of her work, including at Ko?olau Gallery, Livingston Gallery and Cedar Street Gallery, plus several Annual Hawai?i Watercolor Society exhibits. She is a member of the Hawai?i Watercolor Society and the Association of Hawai?i Artists. Artist: The Hawaii Potter`s Guild Rainbow Gecko Type: TEAM Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/hawaiipotters.html Bio: The Hawai?i Potters? Guild was founded more than 30 years ago and is the oldest active ceramic organization in Hawai?i. The mission of HPG is to serve the community by providing classes in ceramics and enlightening the public on ceramic art, which has been an essential part of the rainbow of rich cultures in Hawai?i. As a team, members of HPG have created the mosaic Rainbow Gecko. Still located at the original site on Bingham Street, HPG currently consists of 15 members and 40 students/independent artists. Activities extend from offering ceramic classes and workshops with invited artists to shows at downtown galleries, The Gallery at Queen?s Hospital and Linekona Art Center. Many of the members and students have participated in group shows and have had their own solo shows. From HPG, countless ceramic artists were born, and numerous people came to experience the joy of craftmaking over the years. As a nonprofit organization, HPG has been involved in various activities such as giving donations for art awards and cooperating in events with the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Hawai?i Craftsmen. The annual HPG pot sale is famous and still lively from the earliest days of its establishment. Artist: Maureen Trevenen Women of Life Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/trevenen.html Bio: Maureen Trevenen has been drawing since the third grade and excels in drawing, painting and sculpture. Her favorite mediums are pencil, colored pencil, pastel and collage, and she especially enjoys portrait and landscape work. When she works on her art, she says she is engulfed in the flow of the pencil, the swoosh of the brush and the molding of the clay, and her spirit speaks through her art. Trevenen has created Women Of Life, a beautiful patterning of the natural colors of Hawai?i and the dreamy faces of women. Her artistic credits include Honorable Mention, Canon Amateur Photography Contest 2000 and 2003; an Egyptian-style mural for St. John?s Modeling Studio; and nine Egyptian replica mural panels for Honolulu Academy of Arts in 2000 to accompany an Egyptian exhibition held at the museum. Artist: Esther Nowell Heavenly Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/nowell.html Bio: Hawai?i artist Esther Nowell has worked with clay all her life. A potter, painter and quilter, she also loves to draw and takes her sketchbook everywhere with her. ?I have my hand trained?it will do most anything I tell it to,? she says. Heavenly Gecko is a gorgeous winged gecko who faces skyward in preparation for flight. Pursuing her interest in art from an early age, Nowell studied at Honolulu Academy of Arts from third through twelfth grades on scholarships and continued her studies at Adult Art School. Her training also includes numerous workshops and mentorships, such as Sally Fletcher Murchison at Hawai?i Potters? Guild. She received a degree in education from University of Hawai?i at Manoa and became an art educator for Parks and Recreation at Alawai, and also worked as an artist for the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Nowell?s work has been shown in many exhibits, including Koa Gallery, TEMARI and Hawai?i Craftsmen, and is in the permanent collection of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. She recently had her first solo exhibit, ?Sketchbook Sampler,? showcasing watercolor drawings inspired by her travels in France, China and Japan, and also featuring her celadon-cobalt glazed and raku-fired pottery. Artist: Bernice Akamine The Red-Winged, Gold-Crested Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/akamine.html Bio: Bernice A. Keolamauloa O?nalani Akamine is an island artist of Hawaiian and Japanese ancestry who began to pursue a career in art, her first love, later in life than many artists. Akamine chose to raise a family and then return to school for a degree; during her studies at University of Hawai?i at Manoa she rediscovered art; deciding that doing what one loves is most important, she changed her major and was awarded a BFA in glass and an MFA in sculpture and glass, both with honors. The Red-Winged, Gold-Crested Gecko, is, as she says, a gecko of a different feather. He wants to fly and nothing will convince him that he cannot?and indeed, as Akamine is example of, achieving dreams is not an impossibility. Akamine has contributed to many solo, group, competitive and invitational shows, and her work is in the permanent collection of the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts and the Hawai?i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. She is recipient of the Award of Excellence, Fiber Hawai?i 2003; a Native Arts Research Fellowship from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; and a Persis Foundation Award. She is co-president of Hot Glass Hui Hawai?i, Organization of Glass Artists. Artist: May Izumi Flit/Alight Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/izumi.html Bio: May Izumi is a Honolulu native who works as publications editor for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, as well as studies fine arts at University of Hawai?i at Manoa. Her gecko, Flit/Alight, addresses what most islanders associate with geckos: they catch insects. The pins holding the insects to his body are reminiscent of alternative forms of medicine popular in the islands, such as acupuncture. Flit/Alight also calls to mind tattooing and score keeping, both of which are currently popular public topics. His smile depicts hope and courage. Izumi holds both a BBA from University of Massachusetts and an MBA from University of Hawai?i at Manoa. She has participated in a number of art exhibitions, including Artists of Hawai?i, Honolulu Academy of Arts; Artsale at The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu; Women of Taste/Platters that Matter, Oakland Museum of California; and Hawai?i Craftsmen Show. She has had two solo shows and is a member of Hawai?i Craftsmen. Artist: Tony Harry Space Agent Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/harry.html Bio: Born in Harlem, Tony Harry, a.k.a. YNOT, was exposed to a multitude of influences that have inspired his creative artwork, especially comic books, cartoons and films, in particular action, science fiction and horror films. He is primarily inspired by people, places and the reality and nature of life, and says that ?as an artist, one should be able to work in all mediums and styles without limitations because there is no one way to do art.? His creation, Space Agent Gecko, patrols the galaxy to do away with crime committed by outer space evildoers. Harry studied textile design at Fashion Institute of Technology, cartooning at School of the Visual Arts and illustration at Cooper Union School of Art. In addition to his experience as an artist, he also is a seasoned actor who has performed in many theatrical plays and independent films. His talent in both areas has led him into theatrical set design work for The Theater for the New City and The Peace Time Players. He has also done a variety of projects that range from tattoo designs to spray-can art exhibitions to visual artist and coordinator for the J Crew and Kenneth Cole flagship stores. Artist: Karen Lucas Flight of Fancy Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/lucas.html Bio: Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Karen Lucas has lived and worked in Honolulu since 1991. Primarily a figure sculptor, Lucas uses a wide range of materials and techniques such as bronze casting, ceramics, plaster and mold-making. She also teaches figure sculpture at the University of Hawai?i at Manoa and is art therapist for Hospice Hawai?i. Mosaic Gecko is layered with sparkling bits of ceramic tile, bringing him to life. Lucas is well-known and celebrated for her mosaic work, which makes Mosaic Gecko even more exciting to see. Lucas holds an MFA in sculpture from University of Hawai?i at Manoa, an MA in art therapy from University of New Mexico and a BA in education and psychology from Evergreen State College in Washington. In addition to a host of special awards, including State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Acquisition Awards, her work was commissioned by the Mayor?s Office on Culture and the Arts, Punahou School, Sacred Heart Church and Hawai?i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Her work has exhibited at Artists of Hawai?i and Hawai?i Craftsmen shows and at the Hawai?i State Art Museum. Artist: Jeff Langcaon Pineapple Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/langcaon.html Bio: Cartoonist, illustrator and graphic artist Jeff Langcaon has been drawing humorous pictures for most of his life. A resident of Aiea, where he lives with his wife Dew-Anne and children Katherine and Samantha (who, he says, provide constant inspiration and occasional irritation), Langcaon uses his creative abilities to contribute to a wide range of projects. His design, Pineapple Gecko, is a brightly painted critter ripe for the picking. Langcaon has created company logos and restaurant menus as well as assorted T-shirts, spot illustrations, website graphics and more for organizations such as the American Heart Association, Hospice Hawai`i, Chaminade University and Island Imaging Center. He also designed the logo for the 2001 American Heart Walk Hawai`i and the ?Hawai`i State University? design sold at Crazy Shirts. His cartoons have appeared in Starlog and The Saturday Evening Post as well as other national and local publications. Langcaon has also authored and illustrated the children`s book Where`s Kimo?, published in 1993 by Bess Press, and has illustrated Super Puffy, a children`s book by Mutual Publishing, due in October 2004. To learn more about Jeff Langcaon, visit his website at www.dancingpencil.com. Artist: Sam Clemens "Future gecko technology" Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/clemens.html Bio: Young up-and-coming local artist Sam Clemens has been experimenting with a variety of artistic mediums for over ten years. Originally focusing on ceramics, Clemens has expanded his repertoire to include acrylic on canvas; collages with wood, acrylic and enamel; fabrics (including costume design); metalworks; and electrical components. His spontaneous and conceptual use of color and dimension plus lighting and kinetics brings a unique and whimsical tone to his work, and he uses them to interpret his personal visions of reality and the ethereal. His gecko creation is called Future Gecko Technology. Clemens? work can be seen in Hawai?i venues such as Studio One, Soullenz Gallery, Bogart?s Coffee House, Morning Brew Coffee House, Planet Hollywood and Indigo Restaurant. He is also a member of the Pacific Handcrafters? Guild Foundation. In addition to his artwork, Clemens is also an avid skateboarder and musician who studies ethnic drumming, plays in a band and participates in a number of underground art/music events. He has created original percussion instruments, including a variety of drums and rhythmic sound pieces, from clay, bamboo, metal, plastic tubing and wood. Artist: Rebecca De Ville Goofy Foot Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/deville.html Bio: Artist Rebecca deVille moved from Oakland, California, to Hawai`i in 1999 as a bride-to-be and has made it her home. Her oil and acrylic work is already being collected by local art aficionados. Her gecko creation, Goofy Foot, sits atop a surfboard ready to catch the next wave. A recent participant in the Cancer Society Benefit Boots on the Beach, deVille contributed a pair of hand-painted boots for auctioning, using the plumeria flower as her design theme. She attended the California College of Arts and Crafts. After moving to Hawai`i, she continued her training at Linekona Art Center and Windward Community College, where she attended Snowden Hodges` esteemed Atelier program. Artist: Lynn Schoonejongen Ohtani and Chuck Davis "Echo Gecko" Type: TEAM Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/ohtani.html Bio: Lynn Schoonejongen Ohtani attributes her bemused, skewed view of the universe to spending her formative years in New Jersey. In search of the most direct path to continuous merriment, she pursued an education in art. ?It?s gotta be fun,? she says. Ohtani was always mesmerized by the Cheshire Cat and the animal kingdom, plus the animation and comedy of Monty Python. These two worlds met in her artwork, coming to life in creations that make her laugh out loud. Echo Gecko is Ohtani?s latest creature. Well-known island artist Chuck Davis is assisting and supporting her in this venture. Ohtani studied advertising design at School of Visual Arts, received a BA in visual design from University of Hawai?i at Manoa, and was awarded a fellowship to Stanford University, earning a graduate degree in design. She marvels at the talented instructors she studied with, including Chuck Close, Ken Kingrey and Nathen Oliviera. In addition to her love of creating artwork, her most gratifying adventure to date was working for the Greenpeace Foundation, both in public relations and as ship?s photographer on a voyage. She treasures that she helped save animals at risk. Her current source of inspiration are the five cats who own her: Katy, Bailey, Rosy, Chili Lilybelle and Oliver Sebastian Catbutt. Artist: Patrice Federspiel Camouflage Gecko Hawaiian Style Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/federspiel.html Bio: Patrice A. Federspiel has always been an artist at heart, but only as of the last three years has worked as a professional in the field. A native of Port Washington, Wisconsin, Federspiel worked in the corporate world for 25 years before leaving the security of her job to pursue the life she had always longed for. She fell in love with Hawai?i on a visit and, deciding that living in the Islands would be a great inspiration for her artwork, left the mainland and now makes Hawai?i her home. Federspiel?s dream of living life creatively, from the inside out, has just begun. She envisions painting larger works that draw people in with their majesty, and hopes to inspire others to find their passions in life, grab hold of them, and live to the fullest every day. Camouflage Gecko Hawaiian Style is Federspiel?s original design. Decorated in vibrant Hawaiian flowers, her gecko?s camouflage is so effective that the painted flora has attracted a butterfly. Federspiel?s education includes a degree in art education from University of Wisconsin and graduate work in art. Her work has shown in Wisconsin and Hawai?i, including at Hawai?i Watercolor Society and Windward Artist Guild exhibits. Learn more about artist Patrice A. Federspiel at www.artofaloha.com. Artist: Dorothy Faison Magni Nominus Umbra: Under the shadow of a great n Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/faison.html Bio: Kailua artist Dorothy Faison spent much of her youth in Bolivia and Costa Rica before moving to Hawai?i in 1968. Juxtapositions, allusions and illusions are interwoven in her work to create an evolving landscape that uses formal aspects to communicate. Some interrelated themes and symbols she employs are polyvalent symbols that invest our existence with power; protection, particularly of children, in life and death; and combining the power, mystery and purpose of primitive, tribal and medieval art within the context of contemporary painting. Faison?s gecko is called Magni Nominus Umbra/Under The Shadow Of A Great Name, and represents the human/gecko protective history and the adaptive nature of the gecko in alien lands. Faison attended Edinburgh College of Arts and Edinburgh University in Scotland, Sophia University in Tokyo, University of Hawai?i at Manoa, and the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles, where she earned her MFA in intermedia. She received the NEA Award in painting from the Western States Arts Federation and was the first recipient of both the prestigious Honolulu Academy of Arts? Catherine Cox Award for excellence in the visual arts and its Melusine Award for painting. Her work is in numerous public collections, including at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Hawai?i State Art Museum. Artist: Lori Uyehara Forest Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/uyehara.html Bio: Honolulu-born and raised artist Lori Y. Uyehara works in mixed media wood, acrylic, ceramic and fiber. Her work draws upon the diversity of the natural world and humankind`s spiritual relationship to it as its primary source of inspiration. She attaches personal iconography and myth to the images she borrows from nature. Forest Gecko is inspired by the flora and fauna of Hawai`i`s remaining wilderness areas and illustrates the themes of interconnectedness, survival and loss. The mosaic pieces recall Hawai`i`s extinct, endangered and threatened endemic species. Using familiar images, she invites the viewer to explore Hawai`i`s changing environment. Uyehara`s education includes degrees in both fine arts and art education from University of Hawai`i at Manoa. She has taught art in local public schools for more than ten years and has exhibited at galleries and museums, including The Contemporary Museum of Honolulu, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawai`i State Art Museum and Gallery Iolani. Her work is in the collections of the Hawai`i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Honolulu Academy of Arts as well as in many private collections in the US and New Zealand. She is a member of Hawai`i Craftsmen and the Windward Artists Guild. Artist: Conan Smith # Gecko 1:65000 Type: IND Link: geckosinparadise.com/ourartists.jsp Bio: Kailua sculptor Conan Smith spent his formative years in the cold climes of Minnesota before escaping to Hawai?i. He works primarily in glass, neon and natural materials, and has always been intrigued by light and its properties. The primary focus of his work explores human encroachment on the natural world and the consequences therein. He also uses his artistic skills for web and graphic design. His fantastical design is called #gecko1:65,000. He glows, particularly at night?thanks to Smith?s ability to access the hollow core of the gecko and fill it with neon and a transformer. Smith?s education includes a degree in art plus an environmental studies certificate, both from University of Wisconsin, Madison. He currently works for University of Hawai?i at Manoa?s School of Architecture, where he does web and graphic design for the Environmental Research and Design Lab. His exhibitions include the 2003 Artists of Hawai?i show at Honolulu Academy of Arts and Mixed Media Miniature Invitational Show at Koa Gallery, Kapi?olani Community College. Artist: Jennifer Rothschild "Shell Shocked Sistah" Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/rothschild.html Bio: Jennifer studied art through special scholarships at the Choinard Art Institute as well as the Art Center of Design at Pasadena. She received her Bachelor`s degree in art and art education at California State Long Beach University. After teaching arts and crafts at the secondary level in California, she and her husband Harry made Oahu their permanent home. Since moving to Hawaii, she has been building an island following in her tropical themes in both paintings and mixed media sculptures. Jennifer`s work in mixed media represents a new dimension in her artistic expression. She has found the colors and textures of island themes a natural choice for her paintings and wall sculptures. Her sculptures are subtle in humor and capture a playful view of the subject at hand. In recent years Jennifer`s work has won both national and local recognition. She was the National Easter Seals Design winner in two of the stamp designs in watercolor. The watercolor painting, Amau Ferns and Koolau, was selected for the Hawaiian Airlines menu cover design. In addition, she has received numerous commissions from restaurants and private collectors. Graphics of hers adorn the covers of various publications such as the Hawaii Pacific Tennis Association Yearbook. She is one of the selected artists for the 10th Annual Edition of the Encyclopedia of Living Artists. Recently, Ms. Rothschild has been honored to be of biographical record in the 21st Edition, 1999-2000, of Who`s Who of American Women. Ms. Rothschild is an active member of the Hawaii Watercolor Society and also serves as the president of the board of the Association of Hawaii Artists for 2000. Jennifer`s art work is currently represented at Arts of Paradise Gallery in Waikiki and Island Treasures Art Gallery in Kailua and Hawaii Kai (Honolulu). Artist: Veteran Improvement Program Kamuela Anakala Type: TEAM Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/veterans.html Bio: Established on May 16, 1980, the Veterans Improvement Program (VIP) is a private, non-profit veteran organization. VIP serves as advocacy group for disabled veterans, living the motto "Rehabilitation through Community Service." This organization provides recreational and educational activities for its members as well as opportunities to learn leadership, problem-solving, social, and leisure skills within the Day Treatment Center Program at the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center. VIP provides disabled veterans with opportunities for healing through developing friendships both within and outside of the group, and participating in community service. VIP has assisted other disabled veterans and needy families with donations of food and clothing. The members actively participate in volunteer work at the VA with community charity groups and have an annual adoption program to support classrooms in need of supplies and materials. In addition, VIP provides emotional support to hospitalized disabled veterans and to the children hospitalized at Tripler Pediatrics Ward. After reading about Geckos in Paradise in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, VIP member Ralph Serdenia was instantly drawn to the cause and knew it would be the perfect project for the group. He organized a "call to artist" within the VIP and approximately twelve members participated by submitting a drawing. The selected design "Kamuela Anakala" (Uncle Sam) by Larry Angel was imbued with life by the VIP members as a team project. "Kamuela Anakala" symbolizes the respect, dedication and patriotism that the VIP feels towards the community. Artist: Lynn Cook Ki`i Kapa Mo`o Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/cook.html Bio: Lynn Cook is a printmaker, travel and cultural tourism writer, photographer and graphic artist who has lived in Hawai?i for more than 30 years. Cook?s interest in cultural and historical images began in the Pacific Northwest, where she studied design with the indigenous tribes. Upon moving to Hawai?i she began a love affair with its ancient rock art petroglyph images. She has researched and photographed petroglyphs and carved design in Hawai?i, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Alaska, Canada and the Continental US. Her gecko design is called Ki?i Kapa Mo?o and is based on a variety of Hawaiian and Polynesian kapa designs, Marquesan tattoo designs recorded in the early 1920?s, and the ancient rock petroglyphs of the Hawaiian Islands. Cook studied printmaking in lithography, etching, serigraph and textile design at the University of Washington and the University of Hawai?i at Manoa, and is an active member of the Honolulu Printmakers. She writes for a variety of publications, including Modern Bride, Travel Holiday, Leisure Travel News, Texas Monthly, Senior Travel, Honolulu Weekly, ASTA Agency Management Magazine and Sunset Magazine. Artist: Carl Jennings Untitled No 9 Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/jennings.html Bio: Renowned artist Carl Jennings originates from Liverpool, England but moved to the US as a child. After undergraduate studies in San Francisco, he and his wife spent a year traveling throughout Southeast Asia and then moved to back England and then to France, where he painted and exhibited his work. Later back in the UK, the family decided that somewhere there must be nicer weather than gray skies and rain, and thus they found themselves in Hawai?i! His gecko design is called Untitled No. 9. Jennings? education includes a BA in both philosophy and fine art (with honors) from San Francisco State University, and a PG diploma in fine art and an MFA in painting, both from Falmouth College of Art in England. He currently teaches art and design at Kapi?olani Community College and at Windward Community College. His work is in private and public collections in Europe and the US, including the collection of the Hawai?i State Foundation for Culture and the Arts. Some of his recent exhibitions include the Artsale at The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu; Artists of Hawai?i at Honolulu Academy of Arts; Bibelot Gallery, Honolulu; Honolulu Printmakers Annual Exhibition; and The Art Show at Alexandra Place, London. Learn more about Carl Jennings at www.cjennings.com. Artist: Ron Kowalke Gecko-Eyes Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/kowalke.html Bio: Ron Kowalke is a well-known artist whose artwork echoes his physical, philosophical, aesthetic, intellectual and spiritual relationship with Hawai?i. In the last three years he has worked with the theme of physical and spiritual energy, using Kilauea volcano and the Kalapana lava flow patterns as visual metaphors, and has been experimenting with different media and attempting to combine the idea of a unified world order with the triumph of the individual human spirit. Kowalke holds a BFA from Rockford College and MFA from Cranbrook Academy. He taught art at Northern Illinois University and Swain School before accepting a full professorship at University of Hawai?i at Manoa, where he teaches painting and drawing. He has participated in over 100 national and international exhibitions and accepted numerous invited teaching positions including the University of Canterbury in New Zealand; the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, Poland; the University of Washington in Seattle; and the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia. His work is in numerous permanent collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Museum of Modern Art, the Boston Public Library, The Library of Congress, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, The Contemporary Museum of Honolulu and the Hawai?i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Artist: Kitty Cantrell Art Gecko Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/cantrell.html Bio: Kitty D. Cantrell is known for her striking sculptures of North American wildlife, as well as her bronze and pastel work. A native of Southern California, Cantrell attributes her respect for living creatures to a childhood spent in the Mohave Desert. She became acutely aware of the rhythms of nature in its arid environment and constantly challenges herself to incorporate this understanding into her artwork. "If my sculptures can make people think about wildlife and appreciate the importance of wildlife, then maybe they will feel compelled to help protect it." Cantrell has created Art Gecko, a vibrantly decorated critter full of character and life. Cantrell has received dozens of awards for her work, including First Place in 1994 and Best of Show in 1992 at the National League of Pen Women Art Show in San Bernardino, CA; First Place in the 1993 Foothills Art Association Wildlife Art Show in La Mesa, CA; and Honorable Mention in the 1992 Wildlife Art Show at the Fine Arts Institute in San Bernardino, CA. A member of numerous environmental organizations, she donates a portion of the proceeds of her art to the Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund and the Grounded Eagle Foundation. Learn more about Kitty D. Cantrell at www.kittycantrell.com. Artist: Pomaika`i Souza Citymilleon Type: TEAM Link: www.citymill.com/gecko.html Bio: Pomaika`i Souza has been a City Mill Team Member for more than 10 years, spending 7 of those years as a Graphic Artist and Signage Coordinator in Advertising for the company. He has also been a driving force behind City Mill`s web development project. His design for the Gecko was chosen for its overall representation of the company, which is now celebrating it`s 105th anniversary. His skills in working with a fiberglass medium were evident from past personal projects, having fabricated advanced costume reproductions of childhood superheroes. Notable was his highly-acclaimed "Kikaida" costume. His work was featured on a KIKU-TV special aired recently titled, "Generation Kikaida". These costuming and fabrication skills are being applied to the Gecko project in all aspects. From sculpting and paint, to electrical and lighting special effects, which he feels will greatly enhance the presentation of their entry, titled, "CITYMILLEON". Artist: Judy Kawabata The Conductor Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/kawabata.html Bio: Born and raised in Waialua on the North Shore of Oah`u, Judy Kawabata is both a long-time artist and former Hawai`i public school educator. Retired after 24 years as a teacher, Kawabata now devotes more time to her work with clay, fiber and other mediums. Kawabata holds a degree in design from University of Michigan and a teaching credential from University of Hawai`i at Manoa. Over the years she has shown her work in many events, including Fiber and Stitchery Guild and Hawai`i Craftsmen shows and Honolulu Academy of Arts Artists of Hawai`i exhibitions. Kawabata created batik banners and ceramic tile murals for a number of island elementary schools through her involvement in the Artist in the School Program, and her ceramic sculptures have been commissioned by several other schools. Her work is also collected by the Hawai`i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. She is an active member of the Hawai`i Potters Guild and spent seven years on the board and faculty of TEMARI, Center for Asian and Pacific Arts. Artist: Marc Turner Starbucks Coffee and Jamba Juice Type: IND Link: www.geckosinparadise.com/turner.html Bio: Marc Turner was born and raised in Oregon`s beautiful Willamette Valley. From an early age, he was drawn to artistic pursuits. He is very prolific, changing styles, colors and mediums frequently. Turner moved to Hawai`i in 1997. He currently resides in the Manoa Valley on Oahu. His work, widely collected on the mainland, has become increasingly sought after by collectors, here in Hawai`i. Turner is best known for his vibrant use of color and island scenes evoking memories of years gone by. "I love Hawai`i. Parts of it remind me of where I grew up--the people, the lush greenery. The beauty of Hawai`i inspires me to paint and create." Turner`s works are held in private and public collections worldwide, including: Sony Corp., Bank of America, Bank of Hawai`i, Bayer Corp., Starbucks Coffee Co., State of Oregon, Department of Transportation and the State of Hawai`i. Artist: Rochelle Lum Master Gecko Type: IND Link: www.rochellelum.com Bio: Ceramics is the passion of Master Artist Rochelle Lum (www.rochellelum.com <http://www.rochellelum.com> ), creator of the master sculpture for Geckos in Paradise. All her forms are hand-built using pinching, coiling and slab techniques to create the desired forms and sculptural shapes. Each piece is then hand glazed with either raku or commercial glazes and finally brought to life in the firing process. Lum finds inspiration in the flora and fauna of Hawai`i as well as in the legends, folktales and mythology of Hawaiian and Asian cultures. Nature and the celebration of life continue to be the main themes in her body of work. Lum also teaches adult ceramics classes at Linekona Art Center at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. She has participated in numerous group exhibits and juried exhibitions throughout the United States, including: ? Arts Pacific, Island of Hawai`i ? Bibelot Gallery, Honolulu ? Cedar Street Gallery, Honolulu ? Nohea Gallery, Honolulu ? The Contemporary Museum Gift Shop, Honolulu ? del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles ? and collections of The Contemporary Museum and State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Honolulu Lum earned her bachelor`s degree in art technique/fine arts in 1979 from Mills College in Oakland, California, where she also did post-graduate work in art education. She worked for several different publishing, graphic design and advertising companies in California before returning to Hawai`i in 1981. Lum was chosen to create the master Geckos in Paradise sculpture from a field of a dozen artists invited to submit applications. Artist: Steve Coy Honolulu Star Bulletin-Midweek Type: IND Link: geckosinparadise.com/ourartists.jsp Bio: Artist Steve Coy grew up in the Detroit, Michigan area and currently pursues a master`s degree in ceramics from University of Hawai`i at Manoa. ? Coy enjoys working with large sculptural ceramics and integrates time and space into his artwork. He also works with installation, video and photography. He is particularly interested in making objects appear as they are not-for example, spray painting objects gold to make them appear metallic. He is also altering time in video pieces and projecting them onto different surfaces. His design is a special commission from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin/Midweek which incorporates newspaper print on the gecko. ? Coy holds a BFA from University of Michigan, where he studied graphic design, photography and ceramics. Artist: Eimi Wong Advertiser Gecko Capsule Type: IND Link: Bio: Eimi Wong was selected from dozens of design concept submitted by the employees of The Honolulu Advertiser for their gecko decorating contest. Eimi has been a Classified Advertising Salesperson the past 16 years. She has a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Hawaii. She is married, has one child and spends most of her free time with her family. When enjoys practicing her skills in designing and producing creative pieces as her hobby. The team is considering plan to cut a hole in the gecko and insert a time capsule with copies of papers from the very recently retired press in celebration of the 150 year anniversary of The Honolulu Advertiser in 2006.