An Overcast Day on the Big Island

It had been a while since I last sketched. By March of the new year I was heading to Hawaii for a work trip, and all of my recent vacations, including Christmas, had been consumed by writing my thesis. I expected this trip to be no different, until I spoke with the couple sitting next to me on the plane. They told me they had been trying to make it to Hawaii for more than thirty years, but life always got in the way. That conversation stayed with me. I thought this might be my only time to visit Hawaii, and I decided I should sketch every day while I was there.

I had brought my watercolor kit, and on the second morning I felt comfortable enough with my surroundings to sit by the ocean and draw. Around six thirty I chose a strange building across the water as my subject. Even though I did not have the right paper, I was able to work in peace for about an hour, listening to the ocean and relaxing into the sketch. About forty five minutes in, a seal flopped onto the shore. I had never seen a wild seal before, and the whole morning felt special.

During this trip I also met artist Roy Tabora, whose words and story convinced me I should take art seriously. He did not push me, he only shared his own path, but it was enough to shift something in me. I had already known how much I enjoyed sketching and painting compared to my work. This trip confirmed it. Looking back, I see it as a turning point in my life. I am reminded of that when I see this sketch, and therefore, this is one of my favorites.

Micron pen and watercolor on sketch paper. About 1 h sketch.