News, Tips & Offers delivered to your inbox.

For generations, Hawaiians have celebrated their culture through painting and sculpture. Experience some of the finest work at these beachfront resorts.

You’ve heard so much about the wonders of a Hawaiian honeymoon: everything from gushing waterfalls and world-class resorts to tropical forests and powder-soft beaches, not to mention the islands’ rich heritage. Now there’s another temptation—an explosive art scene. With elegant outdoor sculpture gardens, art installations at resorts that rival world-class museum collections and even an “art” hotel, you can satisfy your inner aesthete along with your outer hedonist.

Maui

Island artwork adorns all the public spaces at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

The modern NaPua Gallery at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui

Maui is the resort and golfing hot spot of the Hawaiian Islands, but it isn’t at all uncommon to find local artists’ work showcased in the elegant hotels here. However, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has taken the trend to a whole new level. As part of an extensive $50 million refurbishment, the hotel recently unveiled a brand new contemporary fine-art collection housed in its open-air lobby, hallways and guest rooms. The hotel’s 280-piece collection was assembled to celebrate and highlight Hawaii’s rich culture. The bulk of the artwork is fashioned by next-generation artists, who have reinterpreted the ancient traditions and culture. Among the portrait paintings by Kauai native Jason Teraoka, you’ll find beautiful works that have been influenced—like Hawaii itself—by Polynesian, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Philippine and Korean cultures. While individual pieces emphasize personal stories, taken together they celebrate a contemporary island vision. And, as opposed to a museum, the open-air design affords a more complete experience of appreciating the artworks, made even easier with the hotel’s audio tour (downloadable to iPods), which includes music by Hawaiian legend Keli’I Rachel. This complimentary program invites guests to experience the art at their own pace (fourseasons.com).

At the neighboring Grand Wailea Resort & Spa, an artist-in-residence program (held Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the lobby) showcases selected local artists and their work, from oil painting to collage to ceramics. The artists often work right there, providing guests with an intimate view of the creative process (grandwailea.com).

Another hotel noted for its on-site art experience is The Fairmont Kea Lani, where sculptor Dale Zarrella has been carving his latest work, “Wailea Mermaid.” The artist is fashioning a quintessential Hawaiian scene from a block of wood harvested from a large Rainsaver tree on a local plantation. The project is expected to be completed in September (fairmont.com/kealani).

Page    1  2  3  4