Laʻa Kea o Kekaha — Original Watercolor

Laʻa Kea o Kekaha

Warm-toned plumeria blossoms unfold against a luminous blue sky, surrounded by deep crimson buds and tropical foliage.

Laʻa Kea o Kekaha was painted in 2012 and inspired by the large, beautiful plumeria trees I came to know in Kekaha on Kauaʻi’s west side.

Their blossoms seemed to hold light within them—creamy whites shifting into yellow, coral, pink, and warm red as the petals turned toward the sun.

The title, Laʻa Kea o Kekaha, carries the meaning “Sacred Light of Kekaha.”

For 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.

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Sacred Light

Plumeria can appear deceptively simple from a distance.

Up 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.

I wanted those shifts to remain visible.

Against 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.

Laʻa Kea o Kekaha is ultimately a celebration of that contrast—the tropical richness of the plant and the softness of light passing across it.

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Painted in Watercolor

The transparency of watercolor was especially suited to this painting.

Rather 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.

The 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.

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Artwork Details

Original Watercolor · One of One

Title: Laʻa Kea o Kekaha

Meaning: Sacred Light of Kekaha

Artist: Christie Marie Elder

Created: 2012

Medium: Watercolor

Artwork Dimensions: 18" H × 24" W

Framed Dimensions: 33¾" H × 39½" W × 2" D

Price: $13,000

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Framing

Laʻa 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.

The 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.

The current framing was selected to give the watercolor a substantial collector presence while allowing the luminosity of the flowers to remain the focus.

Professionally framed and ready to hang.

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Artist Signature & Documentation

Signature: Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.

Each original artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) together with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.

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Copyright

© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.

Purchase 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.

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Shipping & Delivery

Kauaʻi: Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.

Off-Island & International Collectors: Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and fully insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.

Before purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address. We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and insured transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.

Once you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.