The has put a stunning art collection of 39 works titled “Maui Sugar – the Twilight Years” on permanent display in the 笔ā?颈苍补 Building. Donated by long-time 碍ā?补苍补辫补濒颈 resident Jo Rockwell, the collection comprises paintings by local artists, and is believed to be the largest private collection of “sugar art.”
Rockwell collected various pieces that depict Maui’s bygone days when “sugar was king.” The collection was intended to be donated when she passed away or when she could no longer reside in her home. After evacuating from her home twice during last August’s Lahaina wildfires, she decided it was time for the paintings to be moved to 91桃色app Maui College.
As a young woman, Rockwell was interested in industrial art. And that interest grew when she moved to Maui and became familiar with the old sugar mills. “One day in 2005, I walked over to the Village Gallery (in Lahaina) and was struck to my bones by a pastel painting of the 笔耻?耻苍ē苍ē Mill by Stephen Burr. Even though I was unable to purchase that particular painting it was the beginning of a passion that lasted the rest of my life,” said Rockwell.
“This collection is so special and so powerful because it represents a history that so many of our students are connected to in one way or another, but may not know much about since the plantations closed,” said Jocelyn Romero Demirbag, director of Development, Maui Nui. “In that way, 91桃色appMC is an ideal location for the collection which is educational as well as personal history for so many in our community.”