Travel Journal: The Maui Experience That Continues to Inspire My Art

Wai'anapanapa State Park in Maui

Getting a glimpse at what goes on outside of the studio is often more revealing than what you see when an artist stands in front of the canvas.

Inspiration collected in the forms of experiences, emotions, color palettes, landscapes, patterns, and even scents from a single trip can make their way into paintings for years to come.

I've assembled some of the snapshots and journal entries I created on our family trip to Maui, Hawaii in November 2022. My husband, our son, and my husband's parents spent a week exploring parts of this beautiful island.

I've already seen it filter into my work, and I know that the peace and beauty I experienced on this trip will continue to inform the energy and content of my paintings.

FROM MY TRAVEL JOURNAL

“I don’t see how you could experience this and not want to do anything possible to take care of the ocean and the land.”

— Melanie Biehle | November 4, 2022 | Maui, Hawaii

November 6, 2022
6:09 AM
Kihei, Maui

We have two full days left in Maui before we head back to our life in the cold, rainy Pacific Northwest. This trip is reminding me of how much travel is needed. It’s a real-time exercise in being present. I love stepping into the unknown of a place, a day, an experience. I love taking the time to appreciate a tree, a leaf, my son’s joy while he plays with an ocean wave. Tasting a new dish. Noticing the different “color” of the ocean in different locations and times of day. Listening to the symphony of morning birds and gentle ocean waves when I have coffee. The dance of swaying palm trees. A woman swimming in the ocean and raising her face and arms toward the sun.

November 5, 2022

Today I tried something I’ve never done before. I went snorkeling! We took a sunrise trip with Kai Kanani and it was amazing. It was too rough to stop at Molokini Crater, but we saw amazing coral, fish, and sea turtles (!!! ❤️) around Pu’u Ola’i and Turtle Town. I loved floating in the ocean and staring at the beautiful world beneath it.

Molokini Crater

I loved sea turtles before I had a chance to see them in person. Now I think I may be obsessed….with coral too. That was magical! All the shapes and formations and pale, slight changes of color. 

Note: Obviously, the coral pictured below is washed up on the shore. Since this was my first time snorkeling I didn’t consider using an underwater camera to document anything I experienced in that realm. I had no desire to do that — I felt it would interfere with the experience. However, documenting is a huge part of my creative process. It’s how I see, experience, and internalize what is meaningful or inspiring to me. While I definitely wouldn’t want to photograph most of my future snorkeling experiences, I do want to gather some images of coral and sea life that I take myself.

There’s just something about the color palette of this rock.

I had to zoom in on this scene when I realized that the turtles on the beach weren’t crawling toward a pile of rocks. They were crawling toward a pile of TURTLES! I seriously love these creatures so much. I literally teared up thinking about swimming with sea turtles when we were driving to the airport to catch our plane back to Seattle. I was completely in awe and truly felt pure love.

I’m so grateful to have had the experience of snorkeling. It’s one of my favorite things that I’ve ever done in my whole life. I loved the feeling of floating in the water, watching the huge turtles rest between rocks. It was so cool to see one swim up to the surface and pop his head above water for a breath.

I loved the feeling of floating in the world above while looking at an entirely different one below.

I was scared to do it at first, even though it was something I really wanted to try. I was the last one off the boat. But as soon as I got in and looked down I was in complete awe and felt a wave of relaxation wash over me. I felt like I belonged there. I did feel anxious a few times in the water — a touch of “learned” shark fear — but for the most part I was just THERE, in the moment, experiencing the colorful patterned fish and feeling so excited each time that I would see a school of them.

Every time I’ve immersed myself in salt water here I’ve felt at home.

I’m also obsessed with these leaf colors and patterns and the variations in landscape.

November 6, 2022
Kihei, Maui

Last night the time fell back an hour on the mainland. Hawaii doesn’t participate in Daylight Savings Time, so when we go back to Seattle the time difference between there and Hawaii will be two hours instead of three. I’ve decided that since “one hour of time disappeared” when I’ve been on Maui, that part of my essence remains here. I love that idea. Part of my life has literally been left behind here on this island, not allowed to join me back in Seattle. Nonexistent, except for here.

Commission A Custom Abstract Painting Based On The Essence of Maui

If you’ve also been moved by a visit to Maui and would like to commission your own abstract painting inspired by the uplifting, peaceful energy of the island, feel free to reach out to me via email to discuss your custom art. Here's more information about how my commission process works.