A Trip to Paradise:  The Cook Islands

The Artists

Great!  Now that you're back, here are some of the arts and artists that I encountered during my trip to paradise:

Judith Kunzle

Judith Kunzle

	Artwork by Judith Kunzle

   Judith Kunzle's artwork so touched my own spirit that I called her to see if she would let me interview her for my school's webpage.  The hour and a half that I spent with her in her home and studio was truly inspiring.  For her story and some great advice for kids hoping to be great artists someday, CLICK HERE!  Thank you, Judith!  If you love her artwork, she can be reached at jkunzle@oyster.net.ck.    

    Michael Tavioni

        Mr. Tavioni, a Maori native of the Cook Islands, was busy teaching a workshop when I dropped by, so I didn't get to meet him.  His carvings are in all the shops on the island and at the Saturday market.

Annie Jack

       Annie Jack is also a Maori native of the Cook Islands.  I met her at a class she had been teaching for six weeks on how to make a tivaevae quilt.  I just had to find out what made the Cook Island quilts so different from the quilts we have here in the United States.  She didn't bring any of her quilts but I was able to see a quilt being made by another artist that you'll meet next.  Here's the difference:  when we make an applique quilt we fold the edges under on the shapes and sew them down with an invisible stitch.  Oh, the tivaevae is much different.  Instead of an invisible stitch, a beautiful, contrasting color is used in a tightly spaced embroidery stitch!  From a distance the edge looks like a sewing machine-made satin stitch.  It must take forever!

        I asked Annie how many quilts she had made in her life.  She said, "Thirteen.  It takes almost a year for each one."  It is the Cook Island custom  to make a quilt for all your loved ones.  When someone you love dies, the tivaevae you made them goes into the grave wrapped around them.  She learned to make the tivaevaes by watching her mother, who learned the same way from her mother, clear back to when the first missionaries came to the islands.  Annie likes to work in solitude so that she can concentrate on her stitching.  She doesn't sell her quilts because they are for her family, but she does raise hundreds of chickens and sells the eggs.

Sue Carruthers

Sue's tivaevae.  It will have four symmetrical pineapples with leaves in the four big spaces!	This is just one of her acrylic paintings on display at her beautiful garden and cafe!
Sue's fabulous poolside garden and cafe!	Her lush, tropical landscaping!

        Sue Carruthers is from New Zealand and is married to a Maori native.  I visited with her at the tivaevae class and found out that she is a very busy person.  Besides taking the tivaevae class and painting with acrylics, she also meets with other artists at Judith Kunzle's studio for figure drawing from a model.  She says she is always learning and practicing.  On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays she prepares organic, home-grown fruits and vegetables into fantastic gourmet breakfasts and lunches at her small garden cafe, called Ambala Garden.  She's also written two cook books and used to be the chef at the fabulous Flame Tree Restaurant on Muri Beach!  And, if you see more of their acre-garden, you would understand how she spends all the rest of her time--gardening!!!

Gina Keenan

        Gina is a fiber artist.  She creates fabulous pareus (sarongs) and sells them at the Market from a small, colorful building decorated with coconut leaves.  I only bought one of her pieces (I regret not buying more!) and my friend, Lori, bought the piece you see here to be stretched and framed for her daughter's living room.  Gina is half Maori and half Irish!  Her email address is empac@oyster.net.ck

Tokerau Jim

Jim and his wife at the Market	The shell carving that I bought from Jim!

        This is Jim.  He carves beautiful Mother of Pearl shells, which produces the famous black pearls found in the remote northern Cook islands of Manihiki and Penhryn, where he grew up.  His necklaces and carvings show different symbols.  The dolphin represents peace & harmony.  Two dolphins can represent friendship or mother and child.  The lacy design on the edge is actually people holding hands and is the Rarotongan symbol for unity.  The pattern under their feet represents drums and is often used to symbolize joy and celebration.  The circle behind the dolphins is another unity symbol around two rows of waves which symbolize strength.  Inside the circle is sand, representing the abundance so great it cannot be counted.  Jim's email address is tokerau@oyster.net.ck if you are interested in his beautiful and unique jewelry.

Andi Merkins

        Andi Merkins is another fine artist that I didn't get to meet, but whose work is as bright and happy as the island and people it depicts.  This painting shows the "vaka", which is a canoe with an outrigger to stabilize it in the sea.  The Maori people are known to have traveled from one land to another in the vaka teretere, sailing canoe, without the assistance of a compass and only the sun, the stars and the ocean current to guide them.  That is why it is their symbol for courage and adventure!  Lying on the vaka is a "pareu", the cotton sarong worn still by many islanders--and visitors.  The vaka points to the sea, the ultimate adventure.