Remembering Lāhainā Book

Remembering Lāhainā, a touching, nostalgic and beautiful coffee table art book compiled by the Maui Arts League, is a collection of high resolution photographs of original artwork painted during the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational events from 2006 to 2020 and the 2023 Paint Maui Plein Air Invitational. It is a tribute to the places, people and culture of the historic town that was destroyed by fire in 2023.

Measuring 10” x 12,” this 208-page full-color hardcover book contains 250 images of paintings created by acclaimed professional plein air artists from Maui, Hawaiʻi and major art centers of the United States and Australia. Plein air artists paint outside, not in their studios, creating works that document “a point in time,” and under natural atmospheric conditions. The annual Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational was the largest event of its kind in Hawaiʻi.

Plein air art is solidly based in realism. The collection offered in Remembering Lāhainā documents not only Lāhainā’s historic architecture, but also its rich multi-cultural community and endearing charm. Some of the 85 plein air artists who contributed to this book lost their homes, studios, and art inventories at home and in galleries in the fire that destroyed Lahaina town. Iconic subjects, such as the, Pioneer Inn, Front Street businesses, and Lāhainā Harbor were vaporized in the conflagration.

Each section of the book—Places, Harbor, Culture, Lifestyle, Ohana and Around the Island—offers readers a look back at the historical town of Lāhainā and iconic locations on Maui, as it was from 2006 to 2023.

The dust cover artwork, “Lahainaluna View” by Ronaldo Macedo, portrays the exact road where wildfire rushed from the mountains to the ocean at 80 mph, turning to  ash all in its path. Lāhainā was the largest populated area in the United States destroyed by fire in 100 years. Many families lost lives; many more were displaced.

Net proceeds from sales of the first release of Remembering Lāhainā will be used to benefit Maui artists, their families and staff that were impacted by the Lāhainā fires. Please join our efforts to encourage these artists to regroup and reshape their careers as they are faced with many daunting challenges.

The mission of the Maui Arts League, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is to showcase art through various art activities to enrich lives in the Maui community. We hope you will join us in enriching lives and supporting artists in need by purchasing this limited-run, first-edition, and one-of-a-kind commemoration of the Lāhainā we loved.

Maui Arts League is now accepting pre-orders for Remembering Lāhainā.