{"title":"Watercolor Paintings","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"aloha-spirit-original-watercolor","title":"Aloha Spirit — Framed Original Watercolor Artwork by Christie Marie Elder","description":"\u003ch1 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAloha Spirit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eOriginal Watercolor · One of One · 2015\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA green sea turtle glides through clear ocean water as rays of sunlight filter down from above, surrounding her with light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is something almost timeless about watching a honu move through the sea—quiet, graceful, completely at home in her element. In \u003cem\u003eAloha Spirit\u003c\/em\u003e, I wanted to capture that peaceful underwater moment when sunlight becomes visible in the water and everything seems to move together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilt through multiple layers of transparent watercolor glazing, the colors develop remarkable depth and complexity, allowing traces of underlying pigments to subtly influence the finished surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting also incorporates \u003cstrong\u003eDaniel Smith mineral and semi-precious gemstone pigments\u003c\/strong\u003e throughout areas of the water, turtle, and shell. As the light changes, these reflective pigments catch subtle flashes of shimmer and luminosity that photographs can only hint at. \u003cstrong\u003eIn person, the piece seems to dance with light.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAloha Spirit\u003c\/em\u003e is professionally presented in a beautiful \u003cstrong\u003ecurly koa wood frame with a white textured silk liner and inner koa accent\u003c\/strong\u003e, selected to complement the warm tones of the honu against the luminous blues of the ocean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork:\u003c\/strong\u003e 23\" H × 30\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed:\u003c\/strong\u003e 28¾\" H × 38¾\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Watercolor with mineral and semi-precious gemstone pigments\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFraming:\u003c\/strong\u003e Curly koa wood, white textured silk liner and inner koa accent\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresentation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Professionally framed and ready to hang\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of One\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal artwork includes a \u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA)\u003c\/strong\u003e along with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCopyright\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and fully insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/strong\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and insured transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48313345310907,"sku":null,"price":19500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/AlohaSpirit.png?v=1788302633"},{"product_id":"sanctuary-original-humpback-whale-watercolor","title":"Sanctuary — Original Humpback Whale Watercolor","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eSanctuary\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA humpback whale lifts its fluke above the waters off Lahaina, framed by Maui’s mountains beyond and the shifting reflections of sky and sea.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI painted \u003cem\u003eSanctuary\u003c\/em\u003e in 2016, years before I would eventually make Hawaiʻi my home. At the time, Maui lived strongly in my imagination. I dreamed from a young age of someday moving to the islands and opening an art gallery on Front Street in Lahaina—then one of Hawaiʻi’s most celebrated art destinations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis painting was created from that dream.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have always felt a deep fascination with the creatures of the ocean and with the enormous world that exists beneath its surface. There is something humbling about sharing this planet with animals whose lives unfold largely beyond our view. Through my art, I find myself continually reaching toward that connection—wanting to know the ocean more deeply, to feel a relationship with the life within it, and to become a better steward of the natural world wherever I can.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYears after \u003cem\u003eSanctuary\u003c\/em\u003e was painted, the devastating Lahaina fire changed the meaning of this piece for me in a way I could never have anticipated. What began as a painting inspired by a place I dreamed of someday becoming part of now also holds a memory of Lahaina as I knew and imagined it then.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor me, \u003cem\u003eSanctuary\u003c\/em\u003e remains a painting about reverence, hope, belonging, and the pull toward Hawaiʻi that began long before I knew where that dream would eventually lead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTraditional Watercolor — With an Unexpected Luminosity\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSanctuary\u003c\/em\u003e is grounded in the traditions of transparent watercolor painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo white paint was used anywhere in the painting.\u003c\/strong\u003e The luminous whites seen in the whale, cascading water, reflections, and spray come from the watercolor paper itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of these areas were carefully preserved throughout the painting process, including passages protected while transparent layers of color were built around them. Selected foreground sparkles were traditionally revealed back through carving the painted surface, allowing flashes of the white paper to become part of the movement and energy of the water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis demanding approach requires the brightest areas of the composition to be considered from the beginning rather than painted back in afterward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMineral and semi-precious gemstone pigments are also layered throughout areas of the water and reflected light. As illumination changes, these pigments catch subtle shifts of color and shimmer, adding an unusual dimensional quality to the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe effect is difficult to fully capture in photography. In person, the luminosity enhances the illusion of depth—the whale appears to move forward from the surface while the reflective ocean stretches back toward the distant mountains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt is one of those rare pieces whose depth, luminosity, and shifting surface can only be fully experienced in the original — the kind of unique magic no reproduction can completely capture.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtwork Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Watercolor · One of One\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eSanctuary\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Christie Marie Elder\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Watercolor with mineral and semi-precious gemstone pigments\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubject:\u003c\/strong\u003e Humpback whale off Lahaina, Maui, Hawaiʻi\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 22\" H × 30\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e approximately 31\" H × 41\" W × 1\" D\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFraming\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProfessionally presented in a warm-toned wood frame with deep navy and crisp white matting, selected to complement the rich blues of the ocean and the dark tones of the humpback whale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlazed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach original artwork includes a \u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA)\u003c\/strong\u003e along with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCopyright\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and fully insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/strong\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and insured transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48318214209723,"sku":null,"price":30000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/Sanctuary2016.jpg?v=1788393153"},{"product_id":"coy-koi-original-watercolor","title":"Coy Koi — Original Watercolor","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eCoy Koi\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBright koi move through unusually dark water, weaving between luminous lily pads, ripples, and shifting flashes of blue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI painted \u003cem\u003eCoy Koi\u003c\/em\u003e in 2015 as an exploration of depth, color, and how far I could push transparent watercolor without losing the clarity that makes the medium so beautiful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater is often depicted as light, reflective, and open. In this painting, I wanted the opposite challenge: a pond built from deep, saturated blues and near-black passages, with the koi appearing to move at different depths beneath the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe darkness allowed the fish and lily pads to emerge almost like jewels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the koi seem content to drift quietly beneath the surface; others make themselves a little harder to ignore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePushing the Limits of Watercolor\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the experiments in \u003cem\u003eCoy Koi\u003c\/em\u003e involved layering complementary colors in a way watercolor painters are usually taught to approach very cautiously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA deeply staining pyrrol orange was established first in portions of the koi. Once completely dry, selected areas were glazed with a granular gemstone blue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause orange and blue sit opposite each other on the color wheel, layering them can easily collapse into muddy neutrals. But in this piece, the very different characteristics of the pigments allowed both colors to remain visually present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe effect is especially visible in the koi moving through the darker water, where the blue appears to pass over the warm orange beneath it, creating a convincing sense of submersion, depth, and movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUp close, the mineral and gemstone pigments catch changing light with subtle flashes of shimmer. The granular blue remains visible over the warmer staining layers beneath it, allowing the surface to shift as the viewer moves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat physical interaction between pigment, paper, and light is one of the qualities that makes the original difficult to fully reproduce in a photograph or print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe image can be reproduced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe changing surface belongs to the original.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtwork Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Watercolor · One of One\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eCoy Koi\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Christie Marie Elder\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Watercolor with mineral and semi-precious gemstone pigments\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 16\" H × 20\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25¼\" H × 29\" W × 1¼\" D\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e$17,000\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFraming\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProfessionally presented in a layered charcoal-toned frame with subtle metallic detailing, a deep charcoal mat, and fine light line accents surrounding the artwork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dark presentation echoes the depth of the pond while allowing the vivid koi, lily pads, and gemstone pigments to remain the focus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlazed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach original artwork includes a \u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA)\u003c\/strong\u003e along with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCopyright\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and fully insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/strong\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and insured transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48321422655675,"sku":null,"price":17000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/IMG_0213_6a897f75-51b1-4279-aee6-ee54d9f58801.jpg?v=1788480589"},{"product_id":"la-a-kea-o-kekaha-original-watercolor","title":"Laʻa Kea o Kekaha — Original Watercolor","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eLaʻa Kea o Kekaha\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWarm-toned plumeria blossoms unfold against a luminous blue sky\u003c\/span\u003e, surrounded by deep crimson buds and tropical foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaʻa Kea o Kekaha\u003c\/em\u003e was painted in 2012 and inspired by the large, beautiful plumeria trees I came to know in Kekaha on Kauaʻi’s west side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir blossoms seemed to hold light within them—creamy whites shifting into yellow, coral, pink, and warm red as the petals turned toward the sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title, \u003cstrong\u003eLaʻa Kea o Kekaha\u003c\/strong\u003e, carries the meaning \u003cstrong\u003e“Sacred Light of Kekaha.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor me, the painting became less about depicting a single flower and more about capturing the feeling those trees created: color, warmth, abundance, and the sense that beauty can make an ordinary place feel sacred.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSacred Light\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlumeria can appear deceptively simple from a distance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUp close, each blossom contains an extraordinary range of color. Cream melts into yellow, yellow spirals into coral and pink, and cooler greens and blue-gray shadows appear where the petals turn away from the light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wanted those shifts to remain visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst the open blue background, the blossoms seem almost illuminated from within, while the darker branches, buds, and foliage provide beautiful contrast to make that light feel even stronger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaʻa Kea o Kekaha\u003c\/em\u003e is ultimately a celebration of that contrast—the tropical richness of the plant and the softness of light passing across it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePainted in Watercolor\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe transparency of watercolor was especially suited to this painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than creating the flowers through heavy opaque color, layers of transparent pigment allow light from the paper to remain part of the image. Warm and cool tones move through individual petals, giving the blossoms their dimensional quality while preserving the delicacy that makes watercolor distinctive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe surrounding foliage shifts through some of my favorite blue-greens, olives, turquoises, and deeper tropical tones, creating a rich counterpoint to the warmth of the plumeria.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtwork Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Watercolor · One of One\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eLaʻa Kea o Kekaha\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeaning:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eSacred Light of Kekaha\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Christie Marie Elder\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2012\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Watercolor\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18\" H × 24\" W\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 33¾\" H × 39½\" W × 2\" D\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e$13,000\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFraming\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLaʻa Kea o Kekaha is professionally framed in a richly distinctive botanical frame incorporating real leaves into the surface design, with a warm metallic inner detail and archival-style double matting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe frame has become part of the personality of the piece and regularly receives compliments in the gallery. Its earthy bronze and brown tones echo the branches and deeper foliage in the painting, while the warm metallic details complement the yellows, corals, and pinks of the plumeria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe current framing was selected to give the watercolor a substantial collector presence while allowing the luminosity of the flowers to remain the focus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach original artwork includes a \u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA)\u003c\/strong\u003e together with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCopyright\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and fully insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/strong\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and insured transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48348518645947,"sku":null,"price":13000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/IMG_0424.jpg?v=1789084576"},{"product_id":"tropical-flame-original-watercolor","title":"Tropical Flame — Original Watercolor","description":"\u003ch2\u003e Tropical Flame\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA deep magenta Hawaiian ginger rises through layers of brilliant tropical foliage, glowing against saturated greens, turquoise, and blue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTropical Flame\u003c\/em\u003e was painted in 2018 and inspired by one of the things I love most about red ginger: its extraordinary depth of color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blossoms can move from vivid pink and crimson into almost wine-colored shadows, while the surrounding leaves seem to contain every possible version of tropical green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut there was something else about the flower that always made me smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo me, a tall ginger bloom looks a little like a \u003cstrong\u003edaytime tiki torch\u003c\/strong\u003e rising through the jungle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd from there, the title practically named itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eA Tropical Flame\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo me, the title carries another meaning as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is something about being in the tropics with someone you love—the warm air, slower evenings, the music and the beautiful surroundings, and freedom from ordinary routines—that can make an already familiar love feel even more illuminated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's about the flame that is already there—the kind that can be stoked, strengthened, and made brighter when two people have the chance to enjoy one another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps that's why I have always loved the idea of flowers as a gift between people who share a life. They can say something without needing many words:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eI see you.\u003cbr\u003eI choose you.\u003cbr\u003eAnd I feel and share this flame with you.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTropical Flame\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, that feeling is wrapped in the colors of the islands—lush greens, brilliant sunlight, deep magenta, and just a little sweet heat. 🔥😉\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eColor, Light \u0026amp; a Little Fire\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition places the ginger almost like a flame against a dense world of tropical leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than treating the surrounding foliage as simply “green,” I wanted it to feel alive with changing color — lime, yellow-green, turquoise, teal, blue and deeper forest tones moving through overlapping leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst all of that cool color, the ginger becomes the heat of the painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep magentas, crimson reds, pinks and violet shadows build through the flower, allowing individual petals to emerge from one another while the bloom remains a single powerful form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then, almost hidden among the leaves, comes one sharp flash of tropical sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePainted in Watercolor\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTropical Flame\u003c\/em\u003e was created entirely in watercolor, using the transparency of the medium to build both the saturated flower and the luminous surrounding foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the technical disciplines I value most in watercolor is allowing the paper itself to create the whites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThere is no white paint in this painting.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout the artwork, the luminous white areas are the preserved white of the watercolor paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is one deliberate exception in technique: the brilliant starburst of sunlight striking the leaf was \u003cstrong\u003ecarefully carved back into the paper\u003c\/strong\u003e, along with some gemstone shimmer accents, creating a crisp flash of light against the surrounding transparent color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a small detail, but one that becomes especially rewarding when the original is viewed closely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtwork Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Watercolor · One of One\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eTropical Flame\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Christie Marie Elder\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2018\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Watercolor\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 14\" H × 21\" W\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 23\" H × 30\" W × 1½\" D\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e$10,500\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFraming\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTropical Flame\u003c\/em\u003e is professionally presented in a substantial dark wood frame with a \u003cstrong\u003eturquoise silk-wrapped liner\u003c\/strong\u003e and coordinating inner wood accent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe framing was selected specifically to become part of the visual experience of the painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rich dark wood gives the piece weight and warmth, while the turquoise silk draws out the blue-green tones running through the tropical foliage. Against those cooler colors, the deep magenta ginger becomes even more striking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finished framed work has significantly more presence than the artwork dimensions alone suggest, creating a substantial \u003cstrong\u003e23\" × 30\"\u003c\/strong\u003e presentation on the wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach original artwork includes a \u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA)\u003c\/strong\u003e together with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCopyright\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/strong\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48349936844987,"sku":null,"price":10500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/IMG_6833.jpg?v=1789104483"},{"product_id":"mustangs-wild-original-watercolor","title":"Mustangs Wild — Original Watercolor","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eMustangs Wild\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore I moved to Hawaiʻi, I was already dreaming about what I hoped to paint here — whales, honu, tropical water, and the life I wanted to someday experience firsthand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut I’ve never wanted to paint something simply because I have a photograph of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI want to spend time with what I paint. I want to paint from experience — and with experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI want to watch my subjects movement, understand something of its personality, and feel the energy it carries before I try to translate it into art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo while I was still living in the Lake Tahoe area, I asked myself a simple question:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat magnificent wild animals are here with me now?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe answer was Mustangs!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIn the Beginning, There Were Horses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHorses had been part of my life long before this painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a kid, I loved them enough to work for free at a local horse stable, and they were among the very first animals I learned to draw and paint. I believe a horse and a parrot were my first two animal subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYears later, while preparing for a completely different chapter of my life, I found myself returning to them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was drawn to spend time around the wild and free-roaming horses in the Washoe Valley and Virginia Range areas east of Lake Tahoe. I loved watching them and getting to know the individual horses within the different herds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo of them I could already envision in my future painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe paint mare came from the Virginia Range. She was beautifully marked, calm, and gentle in her presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dark stallion came from a herd I spent time with in and around Washoe Valley \/ Lake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was something else entirely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrong. Alert. Fiercely protective of his herd.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd very aware of everything happening around him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Moment I Never Photographed\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne evening I arrived near the wetlands at the south end of Washoe Lake around sunset.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI had only just gotten there and hadn’t even prepared my camera when the horses came running in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stallion entered the shallow water, backlit by the setting sun, whinnying and pawing at the water while his mares gathered behind him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt lasted only a moment. - I never got the photograph, but it was a beautiful gift to witness!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI remember thinking immediately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eI need to paint this majestic horse.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMustangs Wild\u003c\/em\u003e became my way of sharing something of what I saw — and what I felt — in this horse’s mana.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTwo Horses, One Landscape\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two horses in this painting came from different encounters and different herds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI brought them together within a landscape inspired by the high-desert country east of Lake Tahoe, where open sage-covered terrain rises toward the Sierra Nevada Mountains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI composed the foreground for the painting rather than copying one specific location, allowing me to build the environment around the personalities of the horses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spotted paint mare stands slightly behind him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stallion watches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThree Colors at the Base — Many Layers to Build Life\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting began in a way that looks almost nothing like the finished watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the first layers, I simply started with three primary colors:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emagenta, phthalo blue green shade, and lemon yellow.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose first washes looked so funny — almost like tie-dye — before I gradually layered darker pigments over them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than painting a black horse with black pigment from the beginning, the deeper color developed through transparent layers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraces of those earlier colors still glow beneath and within the finished horse, giving his dark coat subtle shifts of cool and warm undertones when viewed closely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe same layering process continued through the mountains, desert vegetation, rocks, and expansive sky until the entire scene slowly emerged from those first transparent washes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd thankfully, the tie-dye horse eventually became a wild and respectable mustang stallion. 😆\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Little Kauaʻi Hidden in the Art\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is one small detail in \u003cem\u003eMustangs Wild\u003c\/em\u003e that tells another part of the story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLook closely at the white star on the stallion’s forehead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts shape is the island of \u003cstrong\u003eKauaʻi\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time I painted this, Kauaʻi was very much on my mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo while I was painting this wild horse from the Sierra Nevada landscape, my heart was still longing for the island I was dreaming about.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy fearless stallion carries that dream of Kauaʻi on his forehead — secretly...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eor maybe not so secretly. 😉\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYears later, I now live and make my life as an artist on Kauaʻi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat little mark makes \u003cem\u003eMustangs Wild\u003c\/em\u003e feel, to me, like a painting created somewhere between two chapters:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehonoring where I was while already dreaming about where I was going.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtwork Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eMustangs Wild\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Christie Marie Elder\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original Watercolor\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20\" H × 30\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 35\" H × 40¼\" W × 1\" D\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e$15,000\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of One\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e____________________________________________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eFraming\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMustangs Wild\u003c\/em\u003e is professionally presented in a simple \u003cstrong\u003eglossy black frame\u003c\/strong\u003e with \u003cstrong\u003edark gray matting\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ePlexiglas glazing\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe deep neutral presentation keeps the focus on the watercolor itself while giving the luminous sky, distant mountain range, and warm high-desert landscape a clean contemporary border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed dimensions: 35\" H × 40¼\" W × 1\" D.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProfessionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSignature:\u003c\/b\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach original artwork includes a \u003cb\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA)\u003c\/b\u003e together with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCopyright\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/b\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/b\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/b\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48353203519675,"sku":null,"price":15000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/IMG_2112_4180d145-0fe3-4ad3-a7b9-d0570b5f3c64.jpg?v=1789201586"},{"product_id":"clear-awakening-original-watercolor","title":"Clear Awakening — Original Watercolor","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eClear Awakening\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of my earliest and strongest memories of Lake Tahoe are not of looking at it from a distance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are of standing right at its edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a child, I spent as many days as I could fishing — standing on granite rocks that were freezing cold in the early morning and warm, rough, and pokey beneath my feet later in the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI spent hundreds of hours looking into that water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatching light move across it. Studying the rocks beneath the surface. Seeing turquoise turn to blue, green, and glimmering silver depending on the depth and the angle of the sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose hours became part of how I learned to see.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey also became part of how I learned to be still.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere Faith Found Me\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFishing was never only about catching fish for me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose quiet hours outdoors were some of the first places I remember talking to God, listening, thinking, and beginning to understand myself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNature became one of the places where faith made sense to me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was something about being surrounded by mountains, water, sky, granite, and silence that made the world feel both enormous and deeply personal at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of the faith I still carry began during those childhood hours beside Lake Tahoe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eClear Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e holds something of that feeling for me — the clarity that can come when everything becomes quiet enough to really see.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSand Harbor, Lake Tahoe\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scene in \u003cem\u003eClear Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e was inspired by \u003cstrong\u003eSand Harbor at Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park\u003c\/strong\u003e, a place known for extraordinarily clear turquoise water and massive sculpted granite formations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut I didn’t approach the painting as a literal copy of one photograph.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe granite and water in the finished piece also carry decades of memory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI grew up around the lake and spent countless hours near similar granite and clear water around Zephyr Cove and other parts of Tahoe. I knew how those rocks looked dry, wet, submerged, sunlit, shadowed, and distorted beneath moving water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo while the photograph gave me the composition, experience gave me much of the painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePainting Through the Water\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe foreground of \u003cem\u003eClear Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e is really about what happens \u003cstrong\u003ebeneath\u003c\/strong\u003e the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe submerged stones have their own colors, edges, shadows, and textures, while another layer of light and movement exists above them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wanted the water to feel transparent rather than simply blue — something you could visually enter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTransparent watercolor allowed me to build that depth slowly, creating the sensation of looking through one layer into another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result changes as your eye moves from the solid granite in the foreground, through the submerged rocks, across the turquoise shallows, and finally toward the deeper blue water and Sierra Nevada mountains beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eRipples That Appear and Disappear\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is another element in \u003cem\u003eClear Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e that a photograph cannot completely capture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI used shimmering mineral and gemstone watercolor pigments in portions of the water, including the delicate surface ripples.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending on where the light is coming from — and where you are standing — those ripples can become distinctly luminous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMove to another angle and they soften, becoming almost transparent again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI often describe the effect in the gallery as being a little like a \u003cstrong\u003ediamond\u003c\/strong\u003e: from one angle, the surface catches and reflects light back toward you; from another, more of the depth beneath becomes visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat shifting quality gives the painted water an almost living surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI didn’t fully realize how dramatic the effect would be until the painting was finished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt became one of those wonderful moments when the materials contributed something unexpected of their own. That shifting play of light belongs uniquely to the original — something no reproduction can fully capture, and something that makes seeing the piece in person a distinctly different experience.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe water seems to move as the viewer moves.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor a painting born from a lifetime spent observing Lake Tahoe change with the light, those shifting ripples seem to hold a little of the magic I have always felt in its water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArtwork Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eClear Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Christie Marie Elder\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original Watercolor with shimmering mineral and gemstone pigments\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20\" H × 16\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFramed Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e 28¼\" H × 24¼\" W × 1\" D\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e$12,000\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of One\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFraming\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eClear Awakening\u003c\/em\u003e is professionally presented in a simple dark-stained wood frame with \u003cstrong\u003esubtle etched detailing\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003edouble matting\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eacrylic glazing\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe warm neutral mats create a quiet transition between the frame and the luminous blues and turquoise of the watercolor, while the darker inner mat helps define the artwork without competing with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe frame itself has just enough etched detail to add character\u003c\/span\u003e while allowing the clarity of the water, granite, and mountain landscape to remain the focus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cb\u003eArtist Signature \u0026amp; Documentation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSignature:\u003c\/b\u003e Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach original artwork includes a \u003cb\u003eCertificate of Authenticity (COA) \u003c\/b\u003etogether with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCopyright\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePurchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Delivery\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKauaʻi:\u003c\/b\u003e Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOff-Island \u0026amp; International Collectors:\u003c\/b\u003e Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBefore purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address.\u003c\/b\u003e We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kauai Christie's Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48355449733307,"sku":null,"price":12000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/files\/IMG_3993.jpg?v=1789289796"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1531\/1583\/collections\/IMG_0424_b790ba3b-28a1-4d58-b090-143326aaf8af.jpg?v=1789110316","url":"https:\/\/www.kauaichristiesart.com\/collections\/watercolor-paintings.oembed","provider":"Kauai Christie's Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}