Course de Va'a Painting

The subject of this painting is a popular outrigger canoe race in Tahiti, French Polynesia. This is one of the biggest organized traditional sporting events in the islands. These young men compete in all kinds of weather, in these marathon paddling events across open ocean. The island in the background is Moorea, the "sister" island of Tahiti. The cargo ship "Vaeanu" is shown tethered to the pass of Papeete, where it sat for several years before being '"deep sixed" in the ocean beyond. I have a lot of sentimental attachment for that cargo ship, as it was plying the Society Islands for a number of years before they retired it. I have fond (and wild!) memories of traveling from island to island on the passenger deck, bringing my paintings to galleries in Bora Bora or Tahiti. It is painted in oil on Belgian Linen, and there is an optional frame of local wood sculpted by my Marquesian friend Jean Huukena from Nuku Hiva.