George Okuhara
George Okuhara (he/him) is a Japanese-American artist who moved to Oregon from Hawaiʻi in 2017.
Waialae Avenue
oil painting, 30″ x 40″, 2008
“This painting was the only painting that I brought over from Hawaiʻi. This painting depicts Waiʻalae Avenue in Kaimukī. It is a scene in front of my Honolulu studio done in the old “Bay Area Figurative” style. I’ve lived in Hawaiʻi since 1955 to 2017. I have works in the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum system and shown at the Honolulu Art Museum. Since moving to Oregon I have been in 2 juried shows, 1 one man show, and 1 group show.”
—George Okuhara
Curator's Note
The story of how this painting came to Oregon was very intriguing to us as curators, as it was the only work that Okuhara brought with him during his move from Hawaiʻi in 2017. We wished to include a mix of various media in our selections, and Okuhara’s traditional oil painting background as well as the decision to bring only this piece brought depth to the range of artists highlighted in the exhibition.
