Big Island Woodworkers

Best of Show by Marcus Castaing

This year’s annual Hawai‘i Woodshow produced six winners from the Big Island, highlighted by Best of Show award-winner Marcus Castaing, whose gorgeous koa cabinet features the artful use of the wood’s natural curl. The 20th annual event, which is sponsored by the Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, took place in Honolulu on March 30, 2012.

Marcus is among the many fine woodworkers here on Hawai‘i Island who craft incredible pieces of local hardwoods such as mango, monkeypod, cook pine, ohia, milo and more. The pieces featured in the show were predominately crafted of Hawai‘i-grown woods, part of the organization’s effort to encourage appreciation for sustainable forestry through the planting of native species. In addition to its annual woodworking exhibition, Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association manages several community forests and serves as an advocate for Hawai‘i’s diverse forest industry.

Holualoa gallery owner, Cliff Johns

Our village of Holualoa boasts some of the finest woodworkers in the state, like Tai Lake, whose amazing koa furniture pieces are sought by collectors from around the world. Just around the corner from Holualoa Inn, the Cliff Johns Gallery unveils an outstanding array of works by local woodturners, wood sculptors and furniture makers, including pieces by award winners in this year’s show, including John Mydock and J Kelly Dunn. A few doors down from Cliff’s, Dovetail Gallery features fine-art woodworking by Gerald Ben, while Holualoa Ukulele Gallery is a must-see for those who appreciate beautiful, custom-made instruments.

Guests of Holualoa Inn are within walking distance of a plethora of fine-art galleries, where the Big Island’s unique natural resources are showcased in many different genres, from sculpture and mixed media to photography and woodworking. Our Kona Hawai‘i bed and breakfast puts you right in the heart of the historic artists’ village of Holualoa.

Innkeeper Holualoa Inn