Hana Coast Gallery

Description:

• This gallery is a good reason to go to Hana: It's an aesthetic and cultural experience that informs as it enlightens. Tucked away in the posh Hotel Hana-Maui, the gallery is known for its high level of curatorship and commitment to the cultural art of Hawaii. There are no jumping whales or dolphins here, and except for a section of European and Asian masters, the 3,000-square-foot gallery is devoted entirely to Hawaii artists, whose sculptures, paintings, prints, feather work, stonework, and carvings are featured in displays that are so natural, they could well exist in someone's home. In response to the ongoing revival of the American Crafts Movement, director-curator Patrick Robinson (of impeccable artistic integrity) has expanded the selection of koa-wood furniture with a Hawaiian/Japanese influence. Stellar artists Tai Lake from the Big Island and Randall Watkins from Maui are among those represented. Connoisseurs of hand-turned bowls will find the crème de la crème of the genre here: J. Kelly Dunn, Ron Kent, Todd Campbell, Ed Perrira, and Gary Stevens. You won't find a better selection elsewhere under one roof. The award-winning gallery has won accolades from the top travel and arts magazines in the country and has steered clear of trendiness and unfortunate tastes.

• © Frommer's 2013