HPR reporter Noe Tanigawa’s paintings featured in art show
You’ve likely encountered Noe Tanigawa before, if you live in Hawaii, even if you didn’t realize it. She’s a sultry, soothing voice on Hawai`i Public Radio, whose award-winning segments cover art, culture, and ideas. That same voice has been hired for recordings and announcements by an impressive roster of big clients: Sheraton Hotels, Kaiser Permanente, Continental Airlines, Marc Resorts, Bank of Hawai’i, Shiseido Hawai’i, Hilo Hattie, Ashley Furniture Homestore, and others. She currently hosts a radio program for Hawaiian Airlines.
What you might not realize is that her journalistic work is informed by her passion for art. Tanigawa holds a Masters degree in painting from UH Mānoa and furthered her study during a 2015 residency with the U.S. Art in Embassies program in Palau.
Always active in her practice, Tanigawa unveils a gorgeous new collection of paintings at at Saks Fifth Avenue Hawaii’s Fifth Avenue Club on 3, at Waikiki’s revamped International Marketplace.
“There are large paintings about the ocean- especially my precious Ka ‘Iwi coast. They are oil, encaustic and aerosol on Lutrador, a permanent artist’s support that looks like rice paper. I like it because light can pass through and bounce off the wall behind or something; it gives a brightened effect,” Tanigawa describes of her favorites.
Her aesthetic varies greatly, though. She continues explaining what kinds of pieces are on view: “There’s a new series of encaustic on mahogany. Encaustic is an ancient method of painting using molten wax. You can apply translucent layers of color and carve it back and stuff. There are a few like that in the show, pretty 3D.”
Tanigawa liked working with wax. She’s added new pieces that are solid matte black wax on mahogany (“wax allows a super matte black”) and a couple paintings using “new beeswax from Kahakuloa that is so golden handsome.”
Most of the work is abstract, inspired by reality, but exploring color and form more than a literal image. However, in a nod to those who need to see a recognizable shape (Me! I’m so gauche.), there are three paintings in a lotus garden. “These are just to make you feel you are there,” Tanigawa mentions.
View Tanigawa’s show at Saks Fifth Avenue Hawaii’s Fifth Avenue Club on 3. The gallery space is on the first floor, oceanside. “Saks Art On The Avenue featuring Noe Tanigawa” runs from August 3 to September 5, 2017.
More at http://www.noetanigawa.com.
