Akiko Cutlip, “August Blossom” (2022), 22 inches by 22 inches. PHOTO COURTESY OF AKIKO CUTLIP ART
Ribbons and scribbles of primary colors puncture swaths of pastels, grounded by earthy hues of green and blue. Such is the energizing and playful work of artist Akiko Cutlip, who has been painting for over 30 years. The Holualoa-based painter uses acrylic or collage on canvas to capture the beauty of nature in Hawai‘i that so inspires her. Originally from Japan and later living and studying art in San Francisco for many years, Cutlip now calls Hawai‘i home and is grateful that it allows her a place to be a part of both cultures. Her work has been exhibited in the U.S. and Japan, and here on the islands at Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui and at The Donkey Mill Art Center on Hawai‘i Island, where she also teaches keiki art classes. Admirers can also see and buy her work at Island Boy Shop in Honolulu. As she explains, “My art is an expression of my own personal language. Creating a painting for me is like an act of self-discovery.” @akiko_cutlip_art
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