For the Love of Maui
Time Travel
Honolulu artist Nick Kuchar is the talent behind Everything Is Jake!—a company whose slogan is “Art to make you happy.” His retro-chic East Maui Love travel posters sure do. 12”x18”, $18 each; set of three, $48. At www.etsy.comPeni for Your Thoughts
Kiawe Peni crafts its writing implements here on Maui, using 100% sustainably harvested local woods (shown: mango-wood pen, $130). Pair it with Kanaka Prints paper in kukui motif: 8.5”x5.5” notepads, $3.50; set of six 3.5”x5” note cards with envelopes, $6.50. At Native Intelligence, 45 Market St., Wailuku; (808) 249-2421.
Confucius Say . . .
Do not be confused! These fortune cookies by Maui artist Christina Cowan look so real, you’ll be tempted to take a bite. This would be most unfortunate, as they are made of earthenware clay (which never goes stale). Available glazed or unglazed, with a variety of fortunes to choose from. Each approximately 2.5”x2.5” cookie sells for $18; set of three, $50. At Maui Hands, 84 Hana Hwy., Paia; (808) 579-9245, www.mauihands.com.
Clean Living
Coconut, awapuhi, sandalwood, pikake, white ginger, plumeria, eucalyptus mint. . . . For the person who loves the fragrances of the tropics, Maui Soap Company’s skin-care products are heaven-scent. This little local business uses the most environmentally friendly ingredients in creating its handmade soaps, available for $4.95 a bar at Mana Foods, 49 Baldwin Ave., Paia; (808) 579-8078.
Renaissance Man
Educator, naturalist, engineer, artist . . . Edward Bailey was a self-taught master of many trades. His landscapes are among the finest visual records of 19th-century Maui. Drawing from family journals and letters, Edward Bailey of Maui, by Linda McCullough Decker, captures the man and his legacy in 352 beautifully illustrated pages. $35 at the Bailey House Museum Shop, 2375A Main St., Wailuku; (808) 244-3326; www.mauimuseum.org.
Spartan Reef by John Severson
In 1978, a wave breaks on the reef at Baldwin Beach, and is immortalized in a B&W photograph by John Severson—filmmaker, champion surfer, and founder of Surf Magazine. Digitally printed directly on aluminum and signed by the artist, it’s available by special order; allow 2–3 weeks. 24”x36”, $1,254. Also available in signed, open-edition, digital prints on Epson paper, 16”x20”, $175; 20” x24”, $275; 24”x36”, $375. Exclusively at Puka Puka, 43 Hana Hwy., Paia; (808) 579-3080