January 27 – February 27, 2016
During the month of February, the Firehouse Gallery will feature artwork to honor the 23rd Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival, which is held on February 6. There will be depictions of cherry blossoms as well as related Japanese or spring floral subjects by artist members of the Waimea Arts Council.
On Saturday, Feb. 6, the day of the Festival, the gallery will be open from 8 am to 4 pm and there will be artists showing their creative processes out on the lawn (or in the Senior Center if it is rainy). In addition, attendees of all ages are invited to get creative with chalk on the sidewalks winding through Waimea’s Historic Corner.
This year the Cherry Blossom Festival honors longtime contributing festival organizations Waimea Bonyu Kai Bonsai Club and The Waimea Arts Council. The organizations will be recognized at the opening ceremony at 9 am on the entertainment stage at the rear of Parker Ranch Center.
This year for the first time the featured art image on the program cover will be a photograph – “Imiola Church” – captured by Barbara Schaefer. The photo will also be used on a commemorative poster which will be on sale at the gallery for $10. Barbara will be at the gallery on Festival Day to autograph the posters.
“Imiola Church” was taken in early March about a month after the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Barbara says of this image “My self-declared photo assignment for the day was to photograph ‘ohi’a blossoms at the Waimea Nature Park. On a whim, I also went to Church Row and found a late blooming cherry tree with the pinks highlighted against a beautiful blue Waimea sky and branches framing Imiola Church. The crowds of the Cherry Blossom Festival were gone, but I had my private “viewing of the flowers.” It was an image that just said ‘Waimea’ to me, a special moment in time captured to share with those who care to view at any time of the year.”
