Hiroki Morinue talks about some of the art contest entries Thursday evening at Donkey Mill Art Center. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Editor

Judges picked a hand-pulled, hand-colored block print work by Caren Loebel-Fried as the winner of the Hooulu ka Ulu Festival art contest.

Loebel-Fried’s piece will be the featured art work for the inaugural Hooulu ka Ulu Festival on Sept. 24 at Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in South Kona.

It will be reproduced into a collectable poster commemorating the Hooulu ka Ulu project, which will be sold at the Breadfruit Festival and beyond as a fundraiser for the festival and project.

A total of 10 pieces of art by local artists were showcased Thursday evening at Donkey Mill Art Center in Holualoa at an artist reception, educational presentation and potluck dinner that focused on breadfruit dishes.

The Hooulu ka Ulu – Revitalizing Breadfruit in Hawaii art contest was presented by Hawaii Homegrown Food Network, Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and Donkey Mill Art Center.

The Breadfruit Festival is sponsored in part by the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s Kukulu Ola—Living Hawaiian Culture Program.

All 10 of the art contest entries. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)

Also, festival organizers Andrea Dean and Craig Elevitch said they are nearing their fundraising goal and need $1,300 in the next five days to qualify for the Kickstarter campaign.

They are encouraging people to support the Hooulu ka Ulu project by contributing to theBreadfruit-Traditional Roots and Modern Fruits Kickstarter campaign.

“We are actively raising funds to support our public education campaign about breadfruit – how to cook it, grow it and the Hawaiian mythology surrounding it,” Dean said. “Even a small contribution of $25 will help us to build support and will make you a part of our team. Our goal is to raise $5,000 and we are asking for your direct help in reaching our goal. If we don’t get all $5,000 pledged we won’t get any of the money, so support is critical to our success.”

— Find out more:
www.breadfruit.info

'The Gift of Ku' by Caren Loebel-Fried