KOLOA – Like many Kauai children, Emma Thain spends a lot of time with her siblings – nine of them. “I like to play in the yard and do cartwheels and hand stands,” Thain said. That play time paid off
KOLOA – Like many Kauai children, Emma Thain spends a lot of time with her siblings – nine of them.
“I like to play in the yard and do cartwheels and hand stands,” Thain said.
That play time paid off recently when the 12-year-old won one of four “Best finalists awards” at an international awards presentation in Japan. There were more than 660,000 entrants in the 2014 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest. Designed to spur the imaginations of artists 15 years of age and younger, the contest requirements were to imagine, design and illustrate their dream cars.
The Koloa home-schooled youth never imagined she’d win with her drawing of a vehicle that resembled a school bus.
“I got excited when I got on the plane,” Thain said.
The artist and her parents traveled to a manmade island in Japan called Odaiba in the Tokyo harbor.
It was an all-expense paid trip where they got the royal treatment. Paparazzi greeted her at the airport in Nagoya like she was a Hollywood superstar.
“They have high rises and bridges that seem to go on forever,” Thain said. “But the landscape is like ours, super green.”
Born and raised in Kauai, Thain has a love for the beauty of nature, especially on the Garden Island.
“I used to paint flowers on white river rocks when I was six or seven and then I’d give them as gifts,” Thain said.
Now she was the one being showered with gifts, including a commemorative leather-bound award and image of her artwork.
She was also presented with a full-length pink kimono that she wore with Japanese slippers during the farewell ceremony.
She appreciated making friends with other winning artists from South Africa, Bangladesh and Romania. Thain stood among the 30 finalists at the awards ceremony on Aug. 27 in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.
Her drawing was of a neighborhood with her version of a Toyota “bus” complete with multiple mechanical arms, to be used for installing plumbing, electrical and dry wall in homes with speed and ease.
She said the idea came from a book she was reading. “It was called, ‘Kisses from Katie’ and was a true story about this Christian girl who adopted 18 homeless girls,” Thain recalled. “I think people who have good things they can share should take care of those who don’t have. It is our responsibility.”
She’s already formulating her entry for next year – a car with radiation powers to give the driver and passengers added brain power.
“That way they can solve the world’s problems,” Thain said.
Lisa Ann Capozzi, a features and education reporter can be reached at lcapozzi@thegardenisland.com
