“The Mouse House,” a miniature Christmas village created by beloved island painter and Kona resident Martha Greenwell, is on display at Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Isaacs Art Center through January 5, 2010.

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WAIMEA, Big Island of Hawaii—A miniature Christmas Village created by beloved island painter and Kona resident Martha Greenwell is on display at the Isaacs Art Center at Hawaii Preparatory Academy through January 5, 2010.

The Christmas village, affectionately known as “The Mouse House,” made its first Big Island appearance in December 2005 at the Kona Historical Society when the village returned to Greenwell from Oahu after more than 20 years of being part of an annual holiday tradition at the Queen’s Hospital Auxiliary’s “Festival of Trees.”

All of the artifacts featured in the display are from the attic and tool shed of Greenwell’s in-laws, Frank and Violet Greenwell of Palani Ranch. It took Greenwell eight years to assemble the village.

“If it is true that in every adult, a little child is asleep, this little child will be awakened by the wonders of Martha Greenwell’s Mouse Village, truly the most magnificent of its kind I have ever seen and another testimonial to Martha Greenwell’s creative genius,” said Bernard Nogues, director of the Isaacs Art Center.

The Isaacs Art Center at Hawaii Preparatory Academy is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is free. For information, or to arrange group visits, call 808-885-5884.