• 7th Annual ''Art is Healing''

    January 10, 2024
    Let the Healing Begin: Art Takes Center Stage at 7th Annual “Art is Healing” Opening Reception Slated for Saturday, January 20

    Community members and supporters of health care access for all are invited to embrace the healing energy of local art as Hawaii Island Community Health Center (HICHC) proudly presents its 7th annual “Art is Healing“ juried exhibition.  This lively event invites the community to join HICHC for an unforgettable evening filled with color, joy, and the transformative healing power of art.
     
    Date: Saturday, January 20, 2024
    Time: 6 p.m.
    Location: Hawaii Island Community Health Center Kealakehe Pavilion
    74-5214 Keanalehu Drive, Kailua-Kona
     
    What makes the “Art is Healing” event different?
    The “Art Is Healing” event is different from other art exhibitions as the artwork purchased from the show is then donated back to the health center to become part of its permanent art collection and displayed throughout its island-wide locations for patients, visitors, and staff to enjoy. 

    By bringing the visual arts into the healing process, HICHC hopes that those who walk through the doors experience a greater connection to one another and to our island community. As a nonprofit federally qualified community health center, HICHC provides care to all members of our community, regardless of their opportunity to pay. The organization strives to provide the highest quality healing environment and space, with the work of talented local artists welcoming patients from all walks of life.
     
    “I am honored to invite our community to the upcoming "Art is Healing" event, where creativity and wellness unite in a celebration of the transformative power of art, said HICHC CEO Richard Taaffe. “We believe in the profound impact that artistic expression can have. This event is a testament to our commitment to fostering a holistic approach to health, recognizing that art can be a source of joy, inspiration, and healing.”
     
    Art has long been recognized for its power to connect individuals of different backgrounds and experiences, by sharing our stories; building empathy, compassion, and respect for one another. Every year, Hawai’i Island Community Health Center’s “Art is Healing” exhibit welcomes submissions by local artists. 
     
    This year, art submissions will be assessed and selected by noted Juror Bob Douglas. According to SAATCHI ART, Douglas’s art has been on a transformative journey. He started out as a photographer and has migrated into painting, printing, and sculpture. He is an award-winning artist whose art has been displayed in Hawaii and the continental U.S.
     
    Bob Douglas shares, “For some, healing and recovery can be a long and difficult journey. Art can make it more bearable. With this in mind, I will be looking for works that bring joy; instill hope, tranquility, inspiration; transports the viewer; conveys a sense of well-being; art that heals.”
     
    Community art lovers, health ambassadors, and HICHC supporters are invited to attend this vibrant celebration of wellness through art. The event will feature music, pupus, and non-alcoholic beverages. A suggested donation of $10 at the door will go toward the purchase of art.
     
    The Art is Healing juried art exhibition launches on Saturday, January 20 starting at 6 pm at the Hawaii Island Community Health Center Kealakehe Pavilion located at 74-5214 Keanalehu Drive in Kailua-Kona.

















    Photo caption: Patricia Uehara’s Ho'olei I ka Upena 
    Ho’olei I ka ‘upena is an act of throwing a net to catch fish. It is an act that has a long tradition that is handed down and received with respect. It is an act that weaves practice and knowledge of tides, waves, fish, wind, and light. It is an act that ties culture, community, sustenance, and aloha.