Gallery
About the Artist
Madeleine Akira Blume is a watercolorist who’s love for art goes back as far as she can remember. Coming from a family of artists who have called Maui home since the 1980’s, she was able to see the amazing wonders of Hawaii as well as artworks from countless artists ever since she was a young child, all of which helped to inspire her to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a professional watercolorist. It was here in Maui where she fell in love with the island's warm culture and indescribably fascinating plants, animals and landscapes found nowhere else on earth that inspired her to paint. Her art is a reflection of the unique world that the islands bring you into, and with every painting, she strives to create peaceful moments of inspiration that bring the viewer back to that wonderful time and place. Through her art, she hopes to continue sharing the beauty of the Hawaiian islands in appreciation of everything to love about art and the natural world.
Home of the Wild 'I'iwi
This painting is dedicated to the native species of Hawaii. It was inspired by the forests of east Maui and its winding waterways that are adorned with cascading waterfalls as they carve their way through the Islands descending landscape to the sea, nurturing the abundant fauna all the way down. It is forests like these that use to be brimming with vibrant wild birds found nowhere else on earth. The 'I'iwi is just one of seventeen out of fifty remaining Hawaiian Honey creepers. Today, these remaining birds are the gems of the forest
Buddha of the Sacred Garden, Maui
This painting was originally created as a commission piece for a long time friend of mine. One of her favorite places to get away and spend a peaceful afternoon near her home is the Sacred Garden of Maliko, in Makawao. The garden is an exotic oasis that lies on the edge of a gulch within the deep Makawao jungles. It is a serene collection of mesmerizing plants, from giant hanging and climbing orchids, aroids, ferns and succulents, to peaceful and inspiring artistic displays such as this graceful wooden statue of the Buddha.
Colorful Hawaiian Rooster
This piece was made for all of those who love or are fascinated by Hawaii's unique avian friends. They say the first chickens of Hawaii appeared after some backyard coops were destroyed in a hurricane, and once they were loose, there was no stopping them from going where they pleased. Now, whether it's the beach, upcountry, or the local grocery store parking lot, these crazy colorful roosters add a pop of color wherever you go in the islands.
"Whales Playing in the Maui Moonlight"
This piece was inspired by the West Maui Mountains, as seen from a Humpback Whale's point of view, looking up above from between ocean and sky. If you look closely within the mountain, you can see a small "heart" nestled into the cervices of these awe strucking Maui Mountains. Should you ever find yourself on that side, look up and see the heart of Lahaina yourself, and look behind you to see the endless peaceful pacific where the whales play under the moonlight.
"The Road to Hana"
The road to Hana is a wild, 64 and a half mile stretch of rugged tropical coastline, lush vertical cloud forests, incredible fauna, and beautiful hikes along streams. This painting was inspired by one of my first trips down the road to Hana, from a photo I got when my family and I stopped the car just to step out and gaze down the road for a moment at the wonderful scenery.
"Sunset Macaw"
I have always been mesmerized by the grace and beauty of birds. They come in every shape and color you can imagine, even in colors that we, as Humans, will never be able to see. Birds come in such a variety, that one could easily be fascinated for more than a lifetime by them. Although not native to Hawaii, the Blue and gold macaws are surly some of the most breathtaking birds in the world. Their whole body is so colorful, that they almost look as though they were painted by a sunset.
"North Shore Honu"
This painting was inspired by a peaceful morning walk I had at Baldwin Beach, where I came upon a great gathering of turtles who had all come to rest in the calm sheltered waters by a cove of rocks. This long beach that lays on Maui's North shore is frequently visited by many Green Sea Turtles, or "Honu" as they are called in Hawaii.
"Path to the Sea, by Mama's Fish House"
The "Path to the Sea" is based off of Kuau Cove, a beach which lines the face of the famous "Mama's Fish House" restaurant. If you look into the water at this beach, you'll see a narrow path in the shallows where the stones have been cleared. They say that the path was made years ago for sea turtles to go through to the sand. As a child, whenever I got to visit this little beach, I would always go walking down the "turtle's path to the sea" as far as I could go, and feel the water gently swaying all around me.
"Orchids of the Lei"
The flowers shown in this painting are based off of the Purple Dendrobium Orchids, which are used to make the beloved and commonly worn orchid leis.
"Ke'anae Path"
As you drive down the way to Ke'anae landing, there are a few lucky locals who get to call this magical place on Maui home. Many of the people of Ke'anae have been living there along with their families for hundreds if not thousands of years. This "Ke'anae Path" is actually the driveway of a woman who lives in Ke'anae, and who I had the pleasure of meeting. She told me all about how this was her childhood home, and about the joys of growing up on the Hana Coast.
"Waikapu Plumerias"
There is nothing like the smell of a Plumeria flower. These flowers grow abundantly all over the islands, bloom in every color, and make some of the most beautiful, and most fragrant leis. These particular blooms were painted from a plumeria tree I was next to as I sat to eat my lunch at Waikapu on 30. (Which is an awesome local style restaurant everyone should try, FYI!)
Collections
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Original Watercolor Paintings
All of my original paintings are inspired by the beautiful world of...
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Giclee Prints
More prints coming soon!
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Watercolor Line Art Coloring Pages
Coloring pages coming soon!
