Darice Machel McGuire captured a familiar Lahaina Town scene in her painting "Lahaina Seawall."

LAHAINA — A new art collection and planned exhibit is being created to remember the feeling of Lahaina Town.

“August 8th was a day that forever changed the lives of thousands of people who called Lahaina home and millions of people who loved the town,” said Kirk Boes, arts education director of Lahaina Arts Guild. In 2023, Lahaina Arts Guild provided nearly 3,500 art lessons for children in Lahaina in three different schools, two of which were destroyed in the fire.

Still reeling from the loss of his own home, art studio and two galleries in Lahaina where his work was shown, Boes and his team began working with Lahaina children exactly three weeks after the fire.

“We were getting ready to go back into the schools when the fire happened. We understand the healing power of art, so rather than wait, our team quickly pivoted and began art programs in the hotels and learning hubs. The art we saw and the experiences we shared were deeply emotional for all of us.”

While working with the children, the idea quickly formed to create an exhibition by a broad range of artists to remember Lahaina.

“There are so many artists that have called Lahaina home and contributed to the art scene here,” Boes said. “Artists have a particular way of helping us not only remember what a place looked like, but especially to remember what it felt like. As I began to speak with people in the art community, we all agreed it made sense and people were eager to participate.”

The growing collection of work will feature pieces from many different artists, ranging from well-known professionals, emerging artists, and even children. “We want to curate this exhibition so that people will be able to heal. We expect people who view the collection will laugh and cry, and hopefully go away with a sense of hope,” Boes said.

“The word ‘Aloha’ has several meanings. We use it to say hello, to say farewell, and to express love. The Aloha Lahaina Art exhibit will give us an opportunity to experience all of these meanings of Aloha as we remember Lahaina.”

Artists supporting the project include George Allan, Darice Machel McGuire, Jim Kingwell, Michael Clements, Laurie Robbins Miller, Linda Ryan and many, many others.

“I’m getting commitments from notable artists every day,” said Boes, who is also a board member for Art Maui and the former gallery director of the Lahaina Arts Society. “I expect the floodgates to open after this story is published,” he added with a laugh.

In addition to receiving pieces directly from painters, the group is also accepting paintings of Lahaina from art collectors who would like to contribute.

“I’ve had conversations with art collectors who want to contribute one or more paintings from their personal collections,” Boes said. “It’s really encouraging how quickly people grasp the value of this show.”

Any revenue generated from the exhibition will go to support the project and be shared with the artists. Additionally, a portion of any proceeds will go to benefit Lahaina Arts Guild.

“This isn’t about money. This is about doing something to help us recover. I’ve lived in Lahaina for 50 years. I want us to be able to remember what Lahaina felt like. I want us to remember that Aloha forever,” Boes concluded.

The group is currently negotiating for a space to house the physical show in West Maui. In the meantime, and to learn more about Aloha Lahaina Art exhibit, visit the growing collection online at www.alohalahainaart.com. For more information, to donate art or to be included in the exhibition, reach out directly to Boes at kirkboes@gmail.com or (808) 298-8787.