YAS: Our Sea of Islands, A New Oceania with Puakea Forester

Program type: 
Workshop
Dates: 
Monday, July 7, 2025 - 9:00am to Friday, July 11, 2025 - 3:00pm
Our Sea of Islands, A New Oceania with Puakea Forester
"Can traditional art forms from Oceanic cultures offer connection and a sense of belonging in our contemporary creative process?"
 
July 7-11, 2025
9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Ages 9-13
 
Session A: APAC Fiber Arts, Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 
Enrollment Fee: $180 
 
Session B: Carve, Print, Paint, Tuesday & Thursday
Enrollment Fee: $100
 
Full Week, Monday-Friday (Sessions A & B)
Enrollment Fee: $265
 
All supplies included
  • Students will need to bring their own packed lunch each day
Deadline to register: Friday, June 27, 2025
 
Description:
Inspired by a collection of essays responding to Epeli Hau’ofa’s, A New Oceania: Rediscovering Our Sea of Islands, haumāna will embark on a creative voyage across the great Moana, engaging with an Inter-Pacific cultural consciousness that encompasses Hawai`i and our cousin lands of Fiji, Samoa, Aotearoa, Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. Students will explore the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of techniques and materials to describe the land and oceanscapes of our islands. Cultural art forms of handwork will inform students to craft works based on creative interpretations that symbolize the ecosystems that connect our islands. Our guiding concept will question how utilizing the mana of nature versus technology and industrial manufacturing affects artistic outcomes. Creation stories will provide a framework for the art we create together.
 
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: ASIA-PACIFIC FIBER ARTS

Explore the practical handwork of our multicultural heritage practices and the materials of our islands. Students will use a variety of techniques to create artwork inspired by our diverse land and seascapes.

Featured Projects: Students' choice on DAY 1!

  • Wet Felting: Dragon Eggs (Felted Soap): Learn the art of wet felting to create unique "dragon eggs" using Maori wool and soap. 
  • Needle felting & Hand Sewing: Use special needles to sculpt Maori wool into charming ocean creatures, such as starfish, sharks, shells, fish, mermaids, and octopuses.
  • Beginner Knitting Bunnies and Birds: Who says learning how to knit is boring? Not when stories come to life with these snugly pocket friends. Learn how to knit and pearl using Maori marino wool yarn, optional lavender stuffing, and handmade knitting needles. 
  • Kumuhimo:  Discover the beautiful art of Japanese braiding (Kumihimo) to make bracelets, bag handles, anklets, and keychains. 
  • Coconut weaving: Polynesian carrying basket and/or tray used daily in most Pacific island cultures
  • Soaring High: Kite Making: Learn to build and decorate traditional Korean kites and a Bingabing leaf kite from the Philippines.  
  • Leather Craft: Japanese Inden design studies will guide our handwork in creating hand-sewn leather tool wraps. 
  • Masikesa: explore line, shape, and pattern surface design practices inspired by Fijian stencil work 
 
Tuesday and Thursday: CARVE, PRINT, PAINT

Explore the elements and principles of art using a variety of techniques to depict the land and oceanscapes of our islands. Students will create artwork based on creative interpretations that symbolize the ecosystems connecting our islands by the sea.

Featured Projects: Students' choice on DAY 1!

  • Create Your Origami Paper: Learn block and chip carving techniques to stamp repeat patterns of contrasting colors on kozo paper for origami. 
  • Notan: Explore the Japanese papercutting art of balancing light and dark within a composition. 
  • Topography of Land and Sea with Suminagashi: Create line and rhythm compositions inspired by Japanese marbling. 
  • Hina’s Deep Under Sea Garden: Paint luminescent creatures and habitats, exploring monochromatic tonal ranges and texture. 
  • Galaxy and Constellations of the Heavens: Explore line, composition, and color harmonies using alcohol markers and ink. 
  • Taxonomy: Dirt, Bugs and Insects of Hawai`i: Make your own dirt paint &  3D bugs with watercolor color pencils and paint pens. 
  • Hawaiian Quilt Designs: Gelli Plate Printing - Use plant life studies to inform quilt block patterns, exploring techniques such as folding, sketching, layers, masking, and monoprinting. 

To register:

There are a few spots remaining in Session B only. To inquire, please email [email protected]

 

Instructors

  • Puakea Forester's picture
    Puakea Forester

    Bio:
    Rooted in her Kahuku to Ka`a`awa, O‘ahu upbringing raised by a woodworking mama and a BYU-Hawaii fine arts and religions professor, Puakea Forester's life work is guided by the simple understanding that witnessing reciprocal relationships with the ʻāina, culture, and the arts fosters a strong sense of lovingkindness and belonging that both counters and heals colonial extractive mindsets. Learn More
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