Born and raised on Oʻahu and currently residing on Maui, Denby Freeland’s recent works are a collection of watercolors, mixed media paintings and kapa, which capture the light, shadow, and rhythm of Hawaiʻi’s plants.  Her watercolors are beautifully rendered, while the mixed media pieces are playful, capturing the colors and essence of the flowers and leaves.  Her kapa reflects her respect for Hawaiian culture and environment through an ancient Hawaiian medium.

 

Her career path has involved the arts and environment in Hawaiʻi including positions at the Hui Noʻeau Visual Arts Center, Hawaiʻi Nature Center and the Maui Coastal Land Trust.

 

Denby’s artworks reveal her awareness of the sensitive environment that she lives in.  Her family history dates back many generations in Hawaiʻi, and with a lifetime of exposure to the renowned Hawaiian landscapes of her mother, Betty Hay Freeland, Denby has developed a unique style all her own to share her vision of Hawaiʻi.

 

She graduated from Punahou School on Oʻahu, earned a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Washington, and her Master’s degree in Education at Heritage College, Washington.  While she has lived on the mainland and traveled extensively, including a backpacking trip around the world, Hawaiʻi is her heartfelt home.