Our Design Center Features Fine Art & Unique Crafts

From All Around The Island of Hawai’i and the State

Meet Our Ohana of Artisans

Elizabeth Miller is a scientist turned mixed-media artist who lives and works close to the primal forces of nature near the lava-glowing volcanic crater on Hawaii Island.  She calls her art “Collaborations with the Unknown.”  “I never feel like it’s me who silently shapes the colors, lines and textures into something visible, tactile and personally thrilling, but an inexplicable love is always involved.” 

After graduating in Art and Design with teaching credentials and a year of graduate work in “visual literacy and right-brain creativity”, she moved to Western Washington and stepped into the world of public art. There she created murals and sculptures with grants and commissions from such agencies as the National Endowment for the Arts, the Washington State Arts Commission and Pierce County and City of Tacoma Arts Commissions. She also taught art courses at The Evergreen State College, The University of Puget Sound, and Pierce College, along with being selected for many artist-in-schools residencies. Since moving to Hawaii and finally being able to work full-time in a spacious studio experimenting with wide range of media, her work continues to evolve intuitively and incorporates the science she loves into her paintings and the unique, hand-tooled metal work for which she is best known. Liz has won many awards and has work in several private collections as well as the Hawaii State Foundation public art collection.

Henry Bianchini was born in 1935.  Since settling in Hawaii in 1969 he has distinguished himself internationally as a sculptor, painter, printmaker and craftsman.  He has earned several Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts commissions, as well as numerous corporate commissions and awards.  Henry works with a wide variety of materials including bronze, stone, concrete, steel, ceramics and installing works that are part of overall building and landscape design. 

Henry has a strong sense of Hawaiian culture and art and an affinity with early Hawaiian voyages.  He originally sailed to Hawaii from Southern California on his self-built trimaran., “Island Dancer” in August 1969.  As he approached the Island of Hawaii he viewed the eruption of Mauna Ulu from 200 miles at sea.  The experience left him with a unique sense of the dynamic and creative forces manifested in the Island of Hawaii his home for more than 50 years now.  

Jonathan Sudler has a BFA in sculpture from Alfred University in New York and an MFA in sculpture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He has been a corporate event planner for 20 years and is currently a designer for Nalu Creative, a Volcano-based company that designs and executes corporate events globally. He also designs and builds theatrical sets for the professional quality musicals produced twice yearly in Volcano by the Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network (KDEN). Jonathan’s residence and art studio are in Volcano, where he creates sculptures, pastel drawings and paintings that are primarily influenced by his unique ability to “see” sound (synesthesia).

Bill Braden was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1958.  He moved to Hawaii in 1970 (Kailua High ’75).  Bill studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1976 and received a BA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island and Rome, Italy in 1980.  Even though Bill studied at these top art schools he feels it was painting on location in Hawaii that taught him to be a land and seascape master. His first exhibition was called "Lanikai Perspectives" at a Kailua gallery in 1978.

Bill was selected from over 200 applicants to paint “The Best Beaches of Hawaii” for the City and County of Honolulu in 1990. This official recognition of him as arguably “the Best Beach painter of Hawaii” is his place in art history. The original oil on panels are the windows of a windowless lobby in the City of Honolulu Harbor Village apartments.

(bio from Bill Braden website)

Patti Pease Johnson creates and teaches art workshops in three mediums: liquid dye on silk, soft pastel, and watercolor and has been teaching at Volcano Art Center for 16 years, along with other locations. She has home and fashion accessory lines in galleries and gift shops around the state and her original artworks are in homes around the world because there are so many travelers from many places in Hawaii.

She has had nine solo exhibitions, been in numerous juried art competitions, and has been curator of four major multiple artist exhibits. She has been a long time board member of art organizations. Mrs. Johnson is a self-taught artist who relishes taking intensive art workshops, and is enjoying journeys of learning to work with clay, metal forming and acrylic painting.

Diane Renchler’s artistic style came out of years of painting plein air watercolors. Inspiration for the fluid and direct style of watercolor came from her early years as an airline stewardess where there were layovers and time to paint in many exotic areas of the world, including Hawaii. "I can remember always carrying my sketchbook with me". Although those early paintings were destroyed in a fire, the desire to paint on location has never been lost. In addition to the watercolor plein air style, Diane also does a mythological/inner journey style in gouache. Life drawing, oils and acrylics are also part of her repetoire. Just before moving to Hawaii, Diane earned a Master's Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy and worked as a therapist using art, music and movement. Watercolor classes and workshops are also available.

John Baran is an artist and photographer from Santa Barbara, California. His art can be found in stores and galleries in California and Hawaii. He has exhibited his work in locations around the world, including New York, Brussels and Busan, South Korea. His art has been featured on the sets of ‘Hawaii Five-0’, ‘Magnum P.I.’  and the upcoming HBO series ‘Ke Nui Road’. 

An avid and accomplished photographer, John travels the world photographing his subject matter. His experiences with the animals in their natural environment is an integral part of the painting process. Photographing, sketching and spending time with these animals and watching their behavior helps John create works of art that are vibrant and full of life. He has swam with killer whales, sharks, giant manta rays, manatees and dolphins. On land, he has walked among white rhinos, cape buffalo, leopards, lions, American alligators, black bear and African elephants. All of these experiences have resulted in works that are a colorful fusion of abstract art and wildlife from the land, sky and sea. 

Abbie Rabinowitz paints in an expressive, painterly style. She observes and paints directly from nature, while her abstracts are an emotional response toward viewing nature in our rapidly changing planet. Abbie moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 2017 where she has established herself as an island artist. She paints and teaches art workshops in her island studio, and has taught as a visiting teacher in Maui at the Hui No’ Eau. She now leads and facilitates Pleinair and Abstract Painting Retreats on the Big Island of Hawaii.

In 2023, Abbie was awarded a Vibrant Hawaii Artist Fellowship which she is using to offer art classes to benefit her local community of both art students and other artists.

RYH Pottery was established in 1991 by Ron Hanatani after returning from a 3 year stay in Kyoto, Japan where he studied pottery and the Japanese language.

Prior to living in Japan, he worked as a geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  He exchanged working with volcanoes as a geologist to working with clay and fire as a potter.
RYH Pottery began as a one-man operation and continues to be so  to this day.  All of the work involved is done by the owner.  This includes wedging the clay, forming the piece on the wheel or slab roller, drying and bisque firing,  decorating  and glaze firing.
The pottery is mainly functional ware including bowls, plates, mugs, teacups, vases, and planters that are non-toxic and dishwasher and microwave safe.

Jacky Waiau, a native Hawaiian self-taught artist originally from Honolulu, Hawaii. She’s called the Big Island of Hawai’i home since 1985, and besides her artistic endeavors, she is also deeply involved in the community.

Her journey as an artist began in high school, and she’s embraced a self-taught approach, exploring various mediums to express her unique vision. Her artistic education includes learning from television programs, online videos, books, and a lot of trial and error. She has spent countless hours experimenting with different techniques, tools, and approaches, resulting in the development of her distinctive and ever-evolving style.

Creativity for her is not limited to one medium. She enjoy exploring diverse artistic expressions and drawing inspiration from various sources. Her preferred techniques are versatile, allowing her to experiment with different styles, and create a portfolio that reflects her evolving inspirations.

Layne Luna was born on ‘Oahu and grew up in Hilo. He is a full time art teacher for the Department of Education and holds a Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Hawaii - Hilo. Layne’s work resides in many permanent exhibits around the world. He is one of the few artists with work in The Pope’s Library of his Clergy in Vatican City, Rome. Layne was the lead artist for the NOAA north Hawaii Reef Ecosystems Mokupapapa Discovery Center. He is committed to excellence and creating art that awakens, excites, and inspires.

Marie Kennedy is a Big Island Ceramicist, she hope you find a unique ceramic vessel that will brighten your life. All of her work is designed for everyday use so fill the cups with coffee and tea, the bowls with soup and salads and the platters with meals for friends and family! Each piece is made by Marie on a potter's wheel or handbuilt in her home studio. All of her glazes are food safe, lead free, and can be used daily in the dishwasher.