More Maui Hotties

16"x40", Acrylic on Canvas, 2025

Abstract

Land is something that has become a hot topic in today's climate. People are arguing over who it belongs to and who deserves to stay on it. These are similar standards that get put on women. People assume she belongs to someone. Women all over the world are sexualized, especially for tourism. I had the honor of getting to visit Maui, Hawaii, where I observed their beautiful land with the utmost respect. I fell in love with the beauty of the land. As I looked around in the more touristy spots, I noticed statues for sale of “hula girls” and calendars titled “Maui Babes” with Hawaiian women in revealing outfits and risque positions. In many tourist spots, this is what was pushed to get people's attention. While corporations pushed this view of women, I remained enamored with the land. Land is sometimes considered very feminine with curves and such, especially in Hawaiian culture, where specific islands are said to look like sleeping women. “More Maui Hotties” is the third in a series of rainbow eucalyptus tree paintings. Maui is one of the two places that have these trees naturally. I chose these trees because I not only fell in love with them on sight, but I also loved how unique they were. I could see myself in these trees since they were so different from everything around them, but still belonged. The trees themselves, in their shapes, also intrigued me with their curves and stretches of colors. It was as if these trees could stand tall and confident in this sea of green known as the Maui rainforest while showing off their curves and rainbow stretch marks. I believe society should stop sexualizing our women and pay more attention to the land they inhabit. This is even more important in Maui after the Lahaina fire in 2023. My landscapes are a call to action to protect our land and our women.