Mark De Colibus, an artist on Maui for over 32 years, will be the featured artist in Lahaina Arts Society’s Old Jail Gallery from Jan. 5 through Feb. 1. His exhibit, “Variety is the Spice of Life,” features works of art in different media. He will show works done in oil, pastel, pen and ink, watercolor, acrylic scratch board, pencil and charcoal. It is a mixed plate of variety for everyone in the family. Lahaina Arts Society is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Old Lahaina Courthouse. Phone 661-0111 for information about when De Colibus will be there.

MPD welcomes new officers

WAILUKU – On Dec. 19, members of Maui Police Department’s 80th Recruit Class were honored in a graduation ceremony at a luncheon held at the Maui Beach Hotel.

Eight recruits completed eight months of intense physical and academic training before graduating and receiving their badges.

The new officers are: Bethany Cravalho, Shaun Shiraki, Manual Sorcy, Devin Schoeppner, Matthew Naeole, Kawika Ornellas, Dumitru Vandici and Jacob Kartchner.

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Atmosphere will perform on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 6:30 p.m. in the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Yokouchi Pavilion. Thanks to the Minneapolis duo’s busy touring habits, top 20-charting albums and their galvanizing artist-owned label, Rhymesayers (MF Doom, Aesop Rock), Atmosphere is still pushing the boundaries of what indie rap can mean. Also performing: The Grouch (top). Tickets are $26 in advance and $30 the day of the concert; call 242-SHOW.

Village Galleries to open new exhibition

LAHAINA – Village Galleries at 120 Dickenson St. in Lahaina will feature recent plein air paintings by Carleton and Billyo O’Donnell from Jan. 2-22.

A Gala Artists’ Reception will be held on Friday, Jan. 2, from 6 to 9 p.m.

In recent weeks, Carleton and O’Donnell have spent many hours painting together on Maui. Both of these award-winning plein air painters show new views of island landmarks and hideaways, each adding their own unique inspiration.

For more information, call 661-4402 or visit “http://www.villagegalleriesmaui.com”>www.villagegalleriesmaui.com.

Join the crowd on Jan. 3-4 and 17-19 in Lahaina under the Banyan Tree. You will discover some of Maui’s most talented fine artists exhibiting at an amazing fair next to the historic Old Lahaina Courthouse. Enjoy live music and check out the paintings, ceramics, photography, glass art, wood carvings, jewelry, baskets and more. Lahaina Arts Society’s fair and galleries are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 661-0111.

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Course covers how to use Google

MAKAWAO – “Google It!,” a free computer class, will be presented at Makawao Public Library on Wednesday, Jan. 7, from 6 to 7:45 p.m. in the Adult Reading Section.

Al Bayless, an Internet computer instructor at Maui public libraries and the Kaunoa Senior Center, will conduct this class on how to use Google to search the Internet.

Bayless will teach basic search skills and some advanced techniques. Learn how to search for information, pictures and videos. Participants can also find out if there is information about them on the Internet.

This class is suitable for participants ages 12 and older. Advance registration is required; call 573-8785.

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Hank’s Haute Dogs open at the Sheraton

KAANAPALI – Hank’s Haute Dogs has a new Maui location at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.

The resort partnered with innovative restaurateur Henry “Hank” Adaniya to bring the nationally acclaimed haute hotdogs to Kaanapali Beach.

The beachfront Maui location features some of Adaniya’s most popular “dogs,” including the Portuguese sausage Hawaiian dog, the Chicago dog and signature dipping sauces.

Adaniya said, “It’s really gourmet fine dining infused in a quick grab and go concept.”

“We are excited to be partners with Hank and opening up his first licensed Hank’s Haute Dogs location here on Maui,” said Greg Gaspar, executive chef at the Sheraton Maui.

Hank’s Haute Dogs Maui is open seven days a week. For more information, call 661-0031 or visit www.sheraton-maui.com/dining/hankshautedogs.

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Hawaiian Taro Plant Sale set

KAHULUI – Attention taro farmers and enthusiasts! Maui Nui Botanical Gardens will host a Hawaiian Taro Plant Sale on Friday, Jan. 9, at 9 a.m.

Rare potted taro varieties from the ‘Ele’ele, Mana, Lehua, Manini, Lauloa, Piko and ‘Ula’ula families will be available for purchase from 9 a.m. until plants are sold out.

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is located at 150 Kanaloa Avenue in Kahului. Call 249-2798 for more information.

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Invitational to offer oil painting workshops

LAHAINA – The 2015 Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational will offer three workshops taught by plein air oil painters Brian Stewart and Dave Santillanes.

Workshop teachers are selected from the 25 artists participating in the 2015 event. It’s a great opportunity for local and visiting oil painters to take classes from award-winning professional artists.

In the pre-event workshop on Feb. 10-12, Stewart will take the process of outdoor painting and break it down into small, simple, attainable steps.

He believes outdoor painting is just like life: “It’s just a series of corrected mistakes.”

With his gentle guidance, help and time-honored methods, participants will learn to see what is needed to improve their work, adjust painting techniques and improve the final results.

Stewart believes the difference between a beginner and a seasoned pro is the ability to see and improve a work of art. His classes are structured in a building block way with small, incremental steps that create this awareness and vision.

He will share exactly how he builds a painting as well as discuss all aspects of the art-life: equipment, travel, marketing, shows, galleries, clubs, the Internet and the emotional roller-coaster ride of being an artist.

Stewart is a signature member of the granddaddy of all plein air groups: the exclusive Plein Air Painters of America. He’s also a member of the California Art Club, Oil Painters of America and the American Society of Marine Artists.

There will be a meet and greet gathering for Stewart and his students on the evening of Feb. 9.

Two post-event workshops will be taught by Santillanes. In his three-day plein air workshop called “Capturing the Atmosphere,” artists will learn how to simplify a landscape and interpret color relationships to quickly complete a painting in the field.

Dates for this workshop are Feb. 23-25. On Feb. 26-27, he will teach a two-day “Plein Air to Studio” workshop. In this studio class, artists will learn to analyze the information they have gathered in the field and develop a larger scale landscape painting of their own in a studio setting.

Santillanes, from Fort Collins, Colorado, won the People’s Choice Award at the 2014 invitational. He’s been winning awards for his stunning plein air paintings for the last 15 years and has been featured in Southwest Art magazine and Plein Air Magazine numerous times.

He said, “As my painting style continues to evolve, my goal with each piece is not a literal rendering of the scene. Instead, it is to capture and convey its essence.”

There will be a meet and greet gathering for his classes on the evening of Feb. 22.

A portion of the funds generated from the workshops and the sale of paintings during the invitational, goes to the nonprofit West Maui Cultural Council (WMCC), a 501(c)(3) located here in Lahaina.

WMCC encourages youths to preserve and promote Hawaiian culture through art. Each year, WMCC awards scholarships and provides art supplies to two high school seniors to attend one of the workshops. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to learn first-hand from professional artists about painting techniques and career management.

Space in each workshop is limited to 12 students. For more information, or to register for the workshops, visit www.MauiPleinAirPainting.org or call Ann Pistillo at (808) 214-9973.

Cost for three-day workshop is $395; the cost for the two-day workshop is $295.