HANAPEPE — That Hawaiian atmosphere has been the basis for Reyna Teter’s artwork that emerged onto the public scene two years ago when she was a sophomore at Waimea High School. With graduation fast approaching and college on the horizon,
HANAPEPE — That Hawaiian atmosphere has been the basis for Reyna Teter’s artwork that emerged onto the public scene two years ago when she was a sophomore at Waimea High School.
With graduation fast approaching and college on the horizon, she recently won a Memorial Day art contest. She has been propelled by the support of her teachers, family and friends.
“Billy DeCosta said he wanted somebody who was in art to help with a project and Reyna raised her hand and cheerfully volunteered,” said Danielle Teter, Reyna’s mom. “Since then Billy has been a strong promoter of what Reyna can do.”
One of the art projects she worked on during her 10th-grade year was to decorate picnic tables being constructed by the Waimea High School woodshop students. A picnic table donning her artwork sits in the rotunda of the Lihu‘e Civic Center, Mo‘ikeha Building, after it was donated to the county by the Waimea High School students.
“Any time you can honor someone with art, it’s worthwhile,” Danielle said, noting that Reyna is the winner of a Memorial Day art contest.
Reyna had a copy of the winning artwork with her while visiting the Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery in Hanapepe after attending a service at the Hanapepe Church of the Nazarene.
The artwork will be featured in upcoming posters announcing the 2010 Memorial Day services around the state, Danielle said.
Reyna was one of only a few Neighbor Island entries in a field of more than 500. She was told about the contest by Monica Adams, a Waimea High School art teacher who has been a strong supporter of Reyna during high school.
The simple image of a yellow plumeria lei slung over an arm of a cross against a blue sky is Reyna’s depiction of Hawai‘i soldiers who gave their lives in defense of America.
“It’s important,” Reyna said. “Just as Jesus gave his life for us, these Hawai‘i soldiers gave their life for their country and us. Memorial Day is a very important holiday.”
Danielle said her children — Reyna, three other daughters and a son — were all brought up where they spent part of a military holiday reflecting.
“They would call someone they knew who was in the military and thank them for their service to the country,” Danielle said. “All of our children did this on every Memorial Day or Veterans Day.”
Since the blossoming of Reyna’s art, her work has made its appearance in many places, most recently on her car which Danielle said has every inch outside of the windows painted.
“It’s going to be for sale since Reyna is leaving on June 1,” Danielle said.
Following graduation ceremonies, Reyna is planning on attending the Point Loma Nazarene University in California where she will major in music and art. But prior to the start of school, she will spend the summer working at the Rock-n-Water summer camp, where the first vestiges of her artwork were born.
She started by filling a sketchbook with art when she was a young girl, Danielle said. When the first book was filled she started another, and then another.
“At first I worked in pastels,” Reyna said. “Then I discovered acrylics. I really liked it.”
During her senior year, Reyna was occupied with art, her senior project centering around the creation of an art teacher, her aspiration in life. She spent the year working with students in different grade levels at St. Theresa’s School as well as in the community.
Earlier, she was commissioned to spend two weeks in California to paint artwork inspired by Hawai‘i’s atmosphere.
“That was really fun,” Reyna said. “I was able to produce a lot of artwork in those two weeks. There were at least 10 to 15 paintings, and they weren’t small. Most of them were about two feet by about three feet. The images were about Hawai‘i — the sun, flowers, surf.”
Additionally, she was allowed to put her artwork on the walls of Nukumoi Surf Company in Po‘ipu, the manager there noting the artwork attracts a large crowd and Reyna even has smaller pieces inside the shop that people can buy.
Her circle of fans continues to expand as she recently launched her Web site where people can visit and order pieces online.
Visit www.reynasurfart.com for more information.
