Hawaiʻi: Art at the Capitol

Photo of Meleanna Meyer standing up and gesturing using both hands while attendees sitting beside her are attentively listening

Teaching artist Meleanna Meyer (standing) works with drawing class attendees (from left) Rep. Mark M. Nakashima, HSFCA Board Chairperson Pat Hamamoto, Rep. Sam Satoru Kong, a legislative staffer and Sen. Brian Taniguchi. Photo courtesy Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts

The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (HSFCA) has drawing class to state legislators and their staff. As a condensed version of HSFCA’s Art Bento program—which transforms the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum into an arts education laboratory for public and charter school students—the class was designed to engage lawmakers in creativity, demonstrate the value of the arts and arts education, and foster understanding and mutual trust. Under the guidance of a teaching artist, participating legislators and staffers toured the museum, discussed specific pieces of art and learned about foundational concepts and techniques of landscape drawing before trying their own hand by interpreting in oil pastels and watercolors a painting from HSFCA’s collection. Subsequently, legislators’ drawings were displayed during the Art at the Capitol event, where the Judges Award and People’s Choice Award honored two of the pieces. Awardees received a gift card for lunch at the State Art Museum’s cafe. To learn more, contact HSFCA Public Information Officer Mamiko Carroll