“The Mouse House,” a miniature Christmas village created by island painter and Kona resident Martha Greenwell, is on display at Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Isaacs Art Center through Jan. 4, 2014. (Photo courtesy of HPA)

MEDIA RELEASE

A miniature Christmas Village created by island painter and Kona resident Martha Greenwell is on display at the Isaacs Art Center at Hawaii Preparatory Academy through Jan. 4, 2014.

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 Medical Center 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.

“The arrival of the Mouse House is as clear a signal of the arrival of the Christmas season as a reindeer with a red nose or a large stocking pinned to the chimney,” said Gaylord Dillingham, director of the Isaacs Art Center. “For children and grownups alike, Martha Greenwell’s fantastic creation is a ‘must see’ and we look forward to welcoming keiki young and old.”

The Isaacs Art Center at Hawaii Preparatory Academy is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is free.

The Isaacs Art Center is closed during the Thanksgiving weekend and between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

For information, or to arrange group visits, call 885-5884.