Daen Rose

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 poin...

Self-taught, through history, practice and patience.