Debra Thompson of Friendship House said artist Seth Womble was scheduled to be at the Kapa‘a facility to help paint the developing mural in the facility’s breezeway.
Instead, Womble was occupied with Michelle Rego of the county’s Office of Economic Development and the state Department of Transportation Harbors Division crew in assembling an eight-panel mural in the passenger terminal at Nawiliwili Harbor.
“I hope they’re working hard at Friendship House,” Womble said. “They got all those columns to do.”
Thompson had arranged to have the Friendship House board members, residents, and even Director Terry Ann Moses working to complete the seven columns in time for July 19 when, according to Moses, Womble is supposed to come back and wrap up everything by pulling the columns together.
“The idea for this mural started a long time ago, way before the pandemic,” Moses said. “One of the board members knew Seth, and got him involved in creating the mural. We’re right next to the ocean, so it’s appropriate that we utilize elements of the ocean.”
Rego, the head of the Harbor Kahea Greeting Program, said the Nawiliwili Harbor mural is being funded by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and will be anchored in the passenger terminal as a welcome for passengers coming ashore from visiting cruise ships.
In addition to being a really pretty picture on eight, 4-foot-by-8-foot panels, the mural speaks of culture, and will have augmented reality, Rego said. The augmented reality takes the viewer who takes a photo of the mural into a tour through the mural, and with certain links, even to places beyond the mural, on a smartphone.
Womble, known for his other works around the island, said this harbor project marked the first time he had to create a piece in pieces, and not on the actual site.
“It’s like piecing a jigsaw puzzle together,” Womble said. “I had to create the eight panels in the studio, and everything had to fit. Now we’re here and we have to make it fit.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
