MANA HOʻOPĀ Painting

DAEN ROSE is a contemporary artist from Kaneohe, Hawai'i on the island of O'ahu. He currently works and exhibits in Washington, D.C. and other parts of the mainland East Coast. He creates oil paintings, drawings and other objets d'art that are hand-crafted and timeless. DAEN's art focuses distinctly on the rich, vibrant culture of the Hawaiian islands and it's people. His imaginative, colorful compositions feature equal parts classic realism and modern, abstract innovation. These works frequently highlight the vast history of his home state, while looking to surface the mo'olelo - or rather, the traditions of Hawai'i that for much too long have been under-represented in art. "Hawaiian culture is not a relic. It's modern, evolving and innovating. In my art, I want to resituate the tropes and stereotypes that frequently associate with our culture and change the understanding of what makes Hawai'i great." In DAEN's current series of paintings, this mo'olelo is front and center. Broad, thick strokes of paint congregate around flits of copper leaf that accentuate the smooth, hyper-realistic legs of a hula'auana dancer. Light brightly illuminates the dancer's lead leg as it extends from her skirt, creating a dramatic focus point on both her physical motion, as well as the story she is about to tell. This image highlights a Hawaiian cultural pillar, however, it's done in a composition that's uniquely modern in presentation and execution. "Hawai'i is too rich and too gorgeous to be as under-represented as it is in art. My pictures aim to demonstrate the majesty and aloha that exists there, and no where else." ​DAEN accepts commissions for work, including portraits. Interested parties can request more details on this using the Contact Form. Additionally, original paintings, drawings and sketches can also be purchased from his website's Online Shop.