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The Hawaiian Islands are something very special. It is the combination of breathtaking nature, bright colors and a unique lifestyle that can only be found in Hawaii. Once you set foot in this paradise in the middle of the ocean, it enchants you and makes you forget everything else.
I was fortunate enough to spend some time in Hawaii painting and capturing the amazing views and impressions in my watercolors. On this page I present a selection of postcard-sized watercolors to give the viewer a little glimpse of the beauty of Hawaii.
The Hawaiian name for plumeria is "pōhaku." Although plumeria is one of the most popular flowers in Hawaii, this plant is not native to Hawaii. It has been cultivated for its flowers since the late 1800s and selected for suitable lei flowers.
Plumeria was introduced to the islands in 1860 by Dr. William Hillebrand, a German biologist, and thrived in Hawaii's hot and dry climate.
Plumeria flowers come in a variety of colors, but white is the most common.
The most common large sea turtle in Hawaii is the green sea turtle, whose Hawaiian name is "honu." The honu gets its name from the color of its skin, more specifically the body fat beneath the skin. They have been documented at ages 80 to 100 years and older.
The honu's primary predators are large sharks, but human involvement is a close second, including entanglement in fishing gear, ingestion of plastic, pollution, and coastal development. Respect and awareness can go a long way toward mitigating these threats to the remarkable honu.
The following motifs were carefully selected on Oahu, Hawaii and then painted by myself while being under the enchanting impression of the island.
I selected the following motifs on Oahu and then painted them while I was under the magical influence of the island.
Heliconia is a commonly cultivated species in Hawaii, escaping from gardens and naturalizing along roadsides.
The Hawaiian green sea turtles, or honu, are native to Hawaii. They are the largest hard-shelled sea turtles in the world. I swam with them in the ocean and I had dinner on the beach watching them, both of which were great.
The White-Rumped Shama is an introduced bird species in Hawaii.
Usually you hear it before you see it - that's exactly what happened to me.
"Manini" is the Hawaiian name for this small yellow reef fish with black and white stripes. I swam with hundreds of them in Shark's Cove. What an experience!
The dragon fruit grows on the Hylocereus cactus, also known as the Honolulu Queen, whose flowers only open at night.
The Red-crested Cardinal is widespread in the lowlands of the Hawaiian main islands. It was introduced to Oahu around 1930.
Pineapples are not native to Hawaii. Legend has it that a Spanish shipwreck in the 15th century brought pineapples to Hawaii. The fresh fruit is so delicious and is one of my favorites.
It is believed that the mango first came to Hawaii in 1824 by Captain Meek from Manila. Today there are over 500 varieties of mango on the islands.
This cute little Gold Dust Day Gecko is not native to Hawaii, but has been spotted in Haleiwa Town on the north shore of Oahu.
Seven species of hibiscus are native to Hawaii. The yellow hibiscus is Hawaii's state flower. This orange flower was found on the north shore of Oahu.
In Hawaii, the Bird of Paradise is a common garden plant and a long-lasting cut flower for tropical flower arrangements. This one was spotted at the Foster Botanical Gardens in Honoulu.
Sunset Beach Sunset on the Northshore of Oahu
Saddle wrasse, also known as Hīnālea Lauwili in Hawaii, are endemic to Hawaii and I saw them while snorkeling.
Sunset Beach Oahu - a jewel of the island. The original Hawaiian name for this place is Paumalū.
Hawaii's bananas are called apple bananas because of their light apple-like fragrance. They are sweet, short, fat and stay firm much longer than other bananas.
Sunset with big sea turtles at Haleiwa Beach - just perfect.
Hawaii - in oil
I was heading into the water at 8am to go snorkeling on the north shore of Oahu when I noticed the sun dancing on the surface of the water and finding itself on the sandy bottom of the crystal clear ocean. That was the moment I decided to capture the unique interplay of water and light with oil or watercolor. I show the first results here:
The interplay of water and sun at Sharks Cove beach, Oahu, on an early and sunny summer day.
50 x 50 cm, oil on canvas
The same motif, but seen and painted from a different angle.
50 x 50 cm, oil on canvas
The soft light of the sun at sunset turns the water pink at Sunset Beach on Oahu - one of my favorite beaches.
60 x 80 cm, oil on canvas
A whole school of "Manini" - the small yellow reef fish with black and white stripes. I swam with hundreds of them in Shark's Cove.
A very special experience.
Project Gran Canaria - Spain
Gran Canaria - Great love at second sight:
The giant lizard is endemic and can only be found on Gran Canaria. It can grow up to 80 cm. When it is young, it also lives on insects, while the older lizards only feed on plants.
The Flor de Mayo - May flower - is an endemic flower of Gran Canaria that only grows on the fertile northern slopes of Gran Canaria. The flowers start out purple and turn from pink to white before fading in the summer heat.
This bellflower is only found in the Canary Islands and is the national flower called Bicácaro.
This skink with its beautifully colored blue tail can be found in the south of Gran Canaria.
This bird is called Pinzón Azol and only exists in the Canary Islands.
The gecko that lived in my kitchen.
Lemon trees are not native to Gran Canaria, but they do exist there.
The beach in the south. Turquoise sea.
