Working from home? Social distancing? Artists already know how to do this!

With all the headlines about the Corona Virus ( COVID-19) I know many of you, like all of us here in Hawaii, received the important directive to stay home and work from home ( except for essential workers). I’m happy to do my part and try not to spread the virus. As much as I miss exploring my beautiful island of Oahu, I will try to halt the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing and working from home. I will also try to share photos of Hawaii for those of you also stuck at home and wishing you were here with all of us.

I realized that most of my paintings are completed at home anyway, even those being painted plein air ( outside) are usually still completed in my home studio area. So, I guess I know how to do this. My biggest obstacle will be not going to the beach when I really want to…. and sharing my painting space (and internet bandwidth) with my kiddos whose colleges and jobs are all online so they are at home now too!

Recently I began a series of Dog Painting Commissions that have been keeping me very busy. Here’s one of a cute puppy named Max ( he’s actually a senior dog now but you would never know it from his poses, smiles, and bright shining eyes!)

Working on Max’s portrait…..
dog painting
Max in his favorite spot among the pansies in his mom’s gardens filled with colorful Monarch butterflies.

These pet portraits are special to me because I love to make them really custom based on the backgrounds and details the pet parents want included. Max’s mom’s favorite flowers are pansies. She also grows plants that not only are food for the caterpillars but also provide nectar for the mature butterflies once they emerge from their chrysalis. It was an honor to make such a custom painting of Max!

Here’s another dog painting in progress, that I started at the beginning of March.

Many of you know I balance my time as an artist with being an actress on the local productions. I get to work with the amazing actors on 2 TV shows filmed on island. I recently got to be in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade with actress Amy Hill and local actor Dennis Chun.

My actress daughter M Jenna on the left, actress Amy Hill on the right and me in the middle, before the start of the Martin Luther King Jr. day parade this year.
Amy Hill from Magnum PI and actor Dennis Chun from both Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum PI shows in our local SAG-AFTRA parade float.

A month after the parade, at the end of February, we heard the news that our beloved series, Hawaii 5-0 would be ending after 10 seasons. I had the honor of filming a co-star role in the season 8 finale with my real life daughter ( who also played my daughter on the show). I also worked as a background actor on all 10 seasons in multiple episodes playing everything from a nurse, a lab tech, an HPD officer and CSU. I will miss working with the incredibly talented cast and crew and being on the set of the show. Thank you to the show’s creators and to CBS for a decade of being part of filming this production.

Hawaii 5-0 announced the series would be ending after 10 years on air on CBS. This is a photo from my co-star episode in the season 8 finale that I shared on FB and Instagram when I heard the news that it was finishing its run.

Since the show finished filming and Magnum PI completed filming its second season and went on break, I had a bit more free time to paint and to help promote the newest Teapresso location (and my first large scale mural ) Here’s some fun images from that— before the quarantine went into effect. They are still able to fill your mobile order for now so keep on supporting them. If you are on Oahu later this spring or summer, then please head up there in person for the best Milk Teas, Boba, Coffee and treats and to take your Instagram photo on your way to the north shore.

Teapresso store opens and the tea bar and mural is a big success!
When I was first working on the mural in January ….
to the finished mural and store complete with 3D Sakura branches and blooms and swing!
I love my little rooster hanging in the hollow of the tree!
and when you look up you are surrounded by colorful cherry blossoms! It is magical!

I will try to keep up with documenting my works in progress and letting you know what’s happening here on Oahu. If you don’t already follow my Facebook page please do, its As You Wish Arts. My Instagram handle is @asyouwishartist

Please share with your friends and lets all keep in touch virtually while doing our part during this very important time of protecting others from the virus.

All my Aloha ~~ Andy