Grass, Roots …and Pots, Too
You know those friends who are too perfect? They’re enviably expert at just about everything? Kaneohe’s Karen Kim is one such handy-person extraordinaire. Her greenhouse is an Eden, and her shelves of handmade and wheel-thrown ceramics include beautifully styled lamps, bowls, plates, cups, planters and more. She’s the kind of person you want to gravitate toward so that some of her magic will rub off on you.
Well, the public is in luck, because May 4 Kim will share her fine work at a garage sale of sorts. She has specially designed planters fitted with mini gardens of succulents. A certified Master Gardener, Kim has been selling at orchid shows and ceramics venues over the years, but she recently got the idea to hook up with her equally talented friends and host their own Pots ‘n’ Plants Sale.
“My artist friends and I thought it might be a good way to let everybody sell some of their inventory,” says Kim. “I have a number of kinds of planters and pots – some filled with plants, succulents mostly, some orchids – and lots that are empty. I have under 100 pieces. My friends have a lot more. And this is just in time for Mother’s Day.”
Kim’s three-car garage will have items displayed on tables and spilling into the front yard. The co-op of Windward artists exhibiting their wares will include ceramics artists: teacher and large-pot maker Steve Martin; bowl-making expert Don Fowler; potter and fine ceramic artist John Rawlings; owner of Keana Pottery in Kaneohe, Hank Hangsleben; and Kim, whose business is called Pot Me Up!
Plant sellers include orchid plant doctor and horticulturist Scot Mitamura, orchid nursery owner Walter Hiraishi and owner of Wind Wind Orchids in Kaneohe Ed Catrett. Embroiderer Nora Miller also will be on hand with towel gift sets featuring orchids and other Hawaiian flora.
For anyone buying a plant and ceramic pot, Kim plans to have an expert available to help them repot the plant. But for tips and most anything to do with gardening, Kim also is quite knowledgeable. After all, it’s her favorite pastime: “I’m happiest outside with my hands up to my elbows in mud,” she says, with her arms literally up to her elbows in dirt.
the TICKET stub
POTS ‘N PLANTS
When: May 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 45-061 Ka Hanahou Place (From Kamehameha Highway, turn right onto Lilipuna Road, right onto Ka Hanahou Circle, right onto Ka Hanahou Place. It’s the second house on the right.)
More Info: 383-9487
ALSO SHOWING
Answering The Call of Music
Putting on the Sound of Music is challenge enough, but putting it on when cast members have been sick or otherwise in-disposed? That’s what Hawaii Baptist Academy high school students have been tasked with, and they’ve stepped up to the effort just fine.
“We’ve had cast members get sick, and other circumstances have come up where they can’t do the show, and being two weeks out, it almost gave me a heart attack,” says senior Nyckolle Lucuab, who is playing the lead role of Maria. “All of our castmates have had to step up.”
Rehearsal kicks into gear and each scene holds you in anticipation of that next musical number that’s going to give you a thrilling nostalgic jolt. The stage version is a bit different than the film, and welcomely so.
“The Goatherd song that the film does a puppet show to is now the comforting song during the thunderstorm, and My Favorite Things, which was the comforting song in the film, is now sung by Mother Abbess and Maria while still in the abbey before she leaves,” says director and drama teacher Chad Logan. There also are musical numbers not heard in the film, and they’re instantly catchy. However, notes Logan, “Julie Andrews ruined the thing for everybody because she’s so good, but Nyckolle does a great job,” he adds.
Lucuab paints and draws, but singing, dancing and theater are new endeavors for her. After appearing in a non-musical school play last year, Lucuab says Logan encouraged her to try out for this production.
“We had tryouts where we sang a song and did a monologue,” she says. “I thought I’d be one of the children; I did not expect to get the lead.”
To prepare for the role, the avid piano student has been sitting at the bench and playing the music at home. Learning the dance scenes took “countless rehearsals with the choreography group.”
The idea of performing in public doesn’t seem to faze Lucuab. In fact, she says, “The most exciting part (of the experience) is just performing a musical in front of this many people.”
The show runs May 2-4 at 7 p.m. at HBA’s elementary campus auditorium (21 Bates St.; $8 per ticket). Visit hba.net.
