HALEIWA ART GALLERY
UNIQUE ISLAND ART
HISTORY
Haleiwa Art Gallery’s owner, George Atkins, has long recognized the importance of living a life rich with artistic expression. From a young age, all three of his daughters were enrolled in a school system that placed a major emphasis on the arts. They were required to play at least one instrument and were involved in drama, writing, and the visual arts throughout their schooling experience. This emphasis on creativity eventually led George’s daughter, Krista Woodward, to begin a career as a lampworking glass artist. A lifelong entrepreneur, George offered to open a gallery where her work could be displayed. Thus in 1996, Oceans in Glass opened its doors on the North Shore of Oahu.
As he immersed himself in Oahu’s art community, George became increasingly aware of the need for an art gallery to represent island-based artists of many mediums. Time and time again, he heard artists saying that they just didn’t have anywhere to display their work. In 1998, when the bank just down the walk from Oceans in Glass moved out, George seized the opportunity to start Haleiwa Art Gallery. He set to work building displays and recruiting artists. Haleiwa Art Gallery now represents an average of 20 artists at a time, with collections large enough to demonstrate the full spectrum of each artist’s ability.
George states that, “The purpose of Haleiwa Art Gallery is to be a center of the art community by providing a venue for island-based artists to display their work.” In accordance with this mission, Haleiwa Art Gallery exhibits primarily original works and fine art reproductions from a variety of island-based artists. Diversity is of great importance, as different expressions, mediums, sizes, and prices appeal to different people. Haleiwa Art Gallery strives to reach a wide audience, providing artistic experiences to enrich the lives of as many people as possible.