Massey, to the right, deep in conversation.

Detail of the "Freelove"

Crowds snub sunshine to attend Massey Exhibit

This year's Raymond Massey exhibit was kicked off on February 16 with a champagne reception and music by Hawaiian entertainer, Malani Bilyeu. Visitors to the gallery braved near-perfect weather conditions to attend the opening and view a collection of historically themed new works. Not bad when you consider that art shows in Hawaii have actually been canceled on account of NO RAIN.

TOO MANY HAWAIIANS ALOFT
A new original oil - the last in the captain Cook series - "Playing on Lono's Island" was sold at the opening along with several other smaller original works. The image will be reproduced on canvas in a signed and numbered edition of 100 with 10 artist proofs.

IT WAS SOMETHING OF A FISH FLY
Striking is the word that accurately describes another newly finished oil on canvas depicting the "Flying Fish entering Nawiliwili Harbor, 1840". A neatly rigged schooner, she was part of the Wilkes' expedition that was assigned the task of gathering scientific data in the islands and to chart and survey its harbors.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO PAINT THIS ORIGINAL, MR. MASSEY?
Back in 1981, Ray Massey painted a panoramic view of Newcastle-on-Tyne, the area where he was born in England. It has hung in the artist's own collection for two decades. But finally, years of nudging, hinting and less subtle forms of persuasion have paid off and Ray has agreed to offer the painting for sale in the gallery. It is truly a wonderful composition showing two Coal Colliers [coal ships] heading down the Tyne River enroute to London.

The year is 1765 and one of the ships, the Freelove, was the vessel on which a young James Cook served as an apprentice seaman. It is a painting that requires time to explore with perhaps the aid of a magnifying glass as it contains a highly detailed view of the old port city of Newcastle and the surrounding countryside. When Ray decided to hang the Newcastle work in our gallery, he could not resist the opportunity to chain himself to the easel and virtually repaint the original! Henceforth, when you look at the bottom lower margin of the painting you see two dates - 1981 and 2001. We always knew it took Ray a long time to finish a painting... but twenty years?

A "RAY" OF HOPE
Also unveiled was a spectacular limited edition print on canvas - The Brig Hope off the Kohala Coast, Island of Hawaii. The Brig was the big hit of last year's exhibit with the original being snapped up on opening day. The Massey exhibit, his twelfth one-man show at Ship Store, has been extended through the month of August. A number of attractive show specials will remain in effect until the show's end.

To find out more, call us at 1-800-877-1948 (822-7758, on island) or stop by our gallery, located in the Coconut Marketplace, Kapaa. The paintings mentioned above can also be viewed virtually online.