Painting by Candlelight
March 19, 2026
The recent Kona storms knocked out power across Hawai‘i. Ours was out for three and a half days—a breeze compared to the three weeks we endured after Hurricane Wilma in Florida years ago, but still long enough to remind us how dependent we are on electricity.
We were only semi-prepared for an outage, with one butane canister for our single-burner camping stove, and one small solar lantern. Thankfully, we always have several large multi-wick scented candles on hand. These not only became our light source but also added a lovely ambience to an otherwise stifling atmosphere—after the storms it was quite muggy with no breeze.
Without fans, AC, internet, television, or music (my husband usually plays guitar well into the night during power outages, but unfortunately he was sick in bed), what could I occupy myself with? The stillness of the night, the darkness outside, and the complete silence created a kind of cocoon.
Happily, painting requires no electricity. So I spent those days finishing the last of a seven-piece custom order. Painting for me is always relaxing, but this was deeper—unexpectedly soothing and meditative, a reminder of a time when simple, electricity-free pleasures were part of everyday life.
This is one of the finished pieces from that commission. There’s also a fun hand-painted portrait of the client’s dog on my homepage. I look forward to doing more people and pet portraits moving forward.
If you’re interested in my hand-painted Hawaiian landscapes or a custom piece from your favorite photo, I’d love to connect. Please contact me, follow along on social, or join my email list if you haven’t already.
In the meantime, stay safe during the next storm, and if you find yourself without power, try a little candlelit creativity of your own.