“Mejiro and Cherry Blossoms” by Laurel Oglesby
Firehouse Gallery presents a new show for February 2023 incorporating the 30th Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival and Chinese New Year Celebration. Artists will display works inspired by the beauty of the springtime cherry blossoms and the animals of the Chinese New Year, with 2023 being the year of the rabbit. The show runs from February 3, 2023 through February 26, 2023.
Every year, the Waimea Arts Council chooses a cherry blossom themed artwork from one of the member artists to become the image for the official Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival poster. 2023 celebrates the 30th year of the festival and the featured original artwork is “Mejiro and Cherry Blossoms” by Laurel Oglesby. The original 8×10 pastel painting will be on display and available for purchase during the show, as well as prints and commemorative show posters. Laurel will be signing show posters at the Firehouse Gallery on Saturday, February 4th from 9am to 3pm during the festival.
When asked about the inspiration behind her painting, Laurel said, “My current body of work features the birds seen on the Big Island, so when considering a subject for the Cherry Blossom Festival my mind went to the Mejiro, or warbling white eye, which is often seen flitting around the brightly colored blossoms of the cherry tree. Although I normally paint in watercolor, I chose soft pastel as my medium for its exceptional color vibrancy. The Mejiro is in it’s fluffier form, often seen after a quick dip in a birdbath or when the wind is blowing.”
Laurel Oglesby
Laurel is a 10 year resident of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and is an active member in the Waimea Arts Council and National Watercolor Society. She co-owns Oglesby Art with her photographer husband, and together they sell their artwork through their online store and various Big Island galleries, stores, and art fairs. For more information about Laurel and her “Birds of the Big Island” series, visit www.OglesbyArt.com.
The 30th Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is on Saturday, February 4, 2023 from 9am – 3pm with multiple venues around town. Firehouse Gallery will be open 9-3 during the festival. Normal hours are 11-3 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and additional days whenever the flags out front are flying. The gallery is located at 67-1201 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela, Hawaii. For questions, email: waimeaartscouncil@gmail.com.
