EXHIBITION: Ka’u and Kīlauea Reflections

Ka’u and Kīlauea Reflections

In an upcoming exhibition titled, Ka’u and Kīlauea Reflections, the Volcano Art Center will display paintings and ceramics by Dr. Douglas Davenport in an effort to raise funds for the Ka`u Hospital Foundation.

From June 25^th through July 10^th, the paintings and ceramics by Dr. Davenport will be available for viewing Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays), 10am – 3pm at the Niaulani campus of Volcano Art Center (VAC) in Volcano Village.  The works by Davenport in this exhibit display his appreciation for the unique district of Ka`u through a multitude of landscapes.

“I came to the Big Island with my wife and three children twenty-five years ago and fell in love with Volcano,” Davenport explains.  “We built a small house as a refuge from the busy life on Oahu…Volcano became a place for us to be together as a family.  We worked the land, the children included, hand-clearing the forest of ginger and tibouchina.  As the years went by, our love of the place grew, as did our family.”

Dr. Davenport retired as an ER doctor after 25 years on Oahu and took up a part-time position at the Ka`u Hospital.  With his background as a professional potter on Oahu’s North Shore and a family history in oil painting from his grandfather and brother, Dr. Davenport explains his artistic endeavors in Ka`u as “a natural progression.”

“The paintings and painted ceramic vases depicting scenes around Ka`u and Volcanoes National Park are the result of my time here.  These works reflect the varying landscapes that grace this land, which I have been so lucky to experience.”

“I feel fortunate to have been able to work in Pahala and, in my small way, give back to the community and to the island that has enriched my life immeasurably.”

Ka`u Hospital, in Pahala, is a 21-bed facility with 16 long-term care beds and 5 acute beds. It also operates a 24-hour, 7-day a week Emergency Department. Replacing the last sugar plantation hospital on the island, Ka`u Hospital was built in 1971 to serve the needs of a vast rural area. It is a little hospital with a big mission: to be the very best it can be for the community.

“Volcano Art Center is pleased to support Ka`u Hospital through this exhibition of art by Dr. Douglas Davenport, MD.  The hospital provides invaluable resources to the people of Hawai`i Island when they need it most,” states Michael Nelson, Volcano Art Center’s Executive Director.  Proceeds from artwork sold as well as donations received go directly to Ka`u Hospital Foundation and its mission.

The exhibit is open to the public, free of charge, Tuesday – Sunday, from 10am – 3pm.  A special opening reception takes place on Saturday, June 25^th from 5-7pm in the Hale Ho`omana building at VAC’s Niaulani Campus, 19-4074 Old Volcano Rd., in Volcano Village.