Why would you wanna come ta Florida from Hawaii?

Why would you wanna come ta Florida from Hawaii?



That was the question asked by just about everybody I met in Florida.
In my ambition to explore the rest of my yard (Earth), I’ve always felt hat Florida is an important place to visit on a regular basis. My first trip here confirmed those feelings.

I went in quite cold, not really having a plan, I just made a decision to go and booked a flight. Through my business connections at CEO Space, Susan Rink put me in touch with Cynthia Scheider, (Ex wife of actor Roy Scheider of the movie “Jaws”). Cynthia and her granddaughter Sascha were students at my first Florida painting workshop at Colleen Cassidy’s Art Studio in Sarasota.



It was unusually tough to fill that first workshop because nobody there had seen what I do to teach realistic painting, but by the last workshop of the trip we were overbooking classes and turning away participants.

Before I arrived, Heather Fortner, stopped into Colleen Cassidy’s and said “I see Patrick Ching is coming here. Let him know he can stay with me”.
Heather was my Outward Bound instructor when I was a juvenile delinquent at age 16.
We spent one month in the wilderness with 8 other people in 1976. It was a trip that changed the direction of my life. It was during that trip that I decided to become a wildlife artist…Or Die Trying!



Heather is now one of the best Gyutako fish printers in the world and conducts workshops in Florida and other places like Hawaii. She is a really good teacher and artist.
Heather’s offer to let me stay was really helpful to me.



In between workshops I did a walkabout Sarasota. Some of the things I did along the way were visiting Cynthia Schrider’s eclectic beach house on Siesta Key, visiting Sarasota Art and Frame Shop, Ringling Museum of Art, Armands Circle, and galleries like Wyland Gallery.



Mote Marine Aquarium was one of my highlights and I met Hugo the manatee and I even met and chatted with Richard Clapp, the mayor of Sarasota, who was swimming in the shark tank as a publicity stunt to bring Google to Sarasota.







Mayakka Wildlife Reserve was where I met Armadillos, Pigs, Alligators, deer and all kinds of birds. Terry Janssen, a former ranger there showed me around. I asked her to stop the car cause I saw something that I thought was too big to be a gator. Well, It was! She said it was one of the biggest she’d seen in years.



Homosasa Wildlife Park was a sanctuary for manatee as was Appollo Beach powerplant which produces warm water that the manatees are attracted to.



Kerry Gogan put me in touch with Kay of Big cat Habitat where I got to know some big animals like lions and tigers and Bears. Fo Real!



My favorite places to eat were:
-Blue Dolphin Breakfast Café managed by Alex and Pam (everyone thinks they own the place)
-Suzie Q’s Hambergers in Fruitville (I think)
-Walts Fish Market was a regular stop where I enjoyed my first stone crab and also ate Alligator, frog and catfish.
-Roy’s was right next to Heather’s house. Nobody from Hawaii was working there.
-Hemmingway’s was enjoyable food, good company, poor service.
-Bonefish Grill -good food and price.



In the middle of my trip I went out to the Villages where I met up with Skip Schuman’s cousin Lord Lydall who heads the Oxford polo club. “Lordie” went out of his way to introduce me to the people of the Villages Polo club where I was to have a show at their Big Opening Day festivities against South Africa. Unfortunately the opening day was rained out and left many people were disappointed.

I attended a wonderful party at the estate of Janet and Brian____ . It was fun to enjoy the band and party with the polo players like Jamie and ____ Mirakatani who I’ve seen play in Hawaii. The scenery was mystically beautiful with large trees cloaked with airplants beards in the sunset and morning fog.

Vinnie and Janice put me up on their spacious horse ranch “Oxford Acres” and I enjoyed their kids Jason and Jennifer and painting with their friends at polo practice.

I even got to go to a bull riding and believe it or not I did Not find my way into the middle of the arena.



As I expected Florida was a place I’d like to explore regularly. I went there to smash down the grass for a smooth landing next time. I’m looking forward to hosting some of my friends that I met there.

I want to especially thank, not in order of anything, Susan Rink, Cynthia Schieder,
Heather Fortner, Colleen Cassidy, Kelly for the enjoyable tour of St Armand’s Circle, Lord Lyle for introducing me to the Villages in central Florida, Vinnie & Family for the great guest house, Gail for patiently helping me find my special pen, Kay for letting us meet the big cats, and Lisa Seabury, who helped me coordinate so much from planning my trip to keeping track of the financial details to talking me into a safe landing at the Tampa airport.

See you on my next adventure to Florida!

‘ILIMA’s LEGACY

Orange flower - Everlasting Bloom

Ilima, My first equine love, was put to rest recently. She was thirty or so years old. Many of you know ‘Ilima through meeting her, riding her or flying over her ears. I speak of her in the present tense because she is as much here as I will be when my body is gone.

I met ‘Ilima in 1987. She was roped out in a field in Kapa’a, Kauai. I had just been given the OK by refuge manager Dan Moriarty to keep horses on the grounds of The Kilauea Point Wildlife Refuge where I was a ranger for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

There she was, the horse of my dreams, a beautiful Palamino (Orange with blond mane and tail) glistening in the sun. At the time her name was “Blondie”. She was a Hawaiian Horse born on Moloka’i of wild Hawaiian mustang stock. By the time I had met her she had bucked off many cowboys, sending them flying over her head with her habit of stopping from a gallop on her front feet, fast! (I didn’t know this at the time)

When I went to buy her I gave her a test run and enjoyed walking and trotting her, then I gave her a giddy up and she bucked like a rodeo bronc finally sending me over her ears.

I dusted myself off and said “I'll Take Her!”

It took a year for my groin ligaments to heal. That was a good amount of time for getting the spooks out and getting to know this gold plated beauty. I named her ‘Ilima after the orange flower cherished in Hawaii. We rode many trails together and raced down beaches. I broke a lot of bones. ‘Ilima became an expert trail horse from riding the trails along with our friend Les Milnes and his horses. We cut many trails for poker runs and ‘Ilima was great at surfing down muddy hills.



‘Ilima’s first babies were twins born dead. Next she had Sunny Hanalei from her boyfriend Kimo of Hanalei. Kimo was a magnificent Morgan Palamino with a neck like a chess Knight.

Kimo is the model for the horse statues that live outside my Naturally Hawaiian Art galleries.

Sunny Hanalei was the most perfect horse I’ll ever have. He died at 4 months old, a day after we went through Hurricane Iniki in Wailua homesteads. It was the best 4 months of a horses life. Sunny Waimanalo was also sired by Kimo. He was a Creamero color, light cream colored with blue eyes. Sunny Waimanalo died at seven years old in a trailer accident while I was away. We had a great seven years.

We moved to Waimanalo about a year after the hurricane and eventually ‘Ilima had a philly from a paint quarter horse/Arab sire named Gigalo owned by Bobby Galdiera. Ehukai is now a ten year old mare sorrel (red) with silver mane and tail with splashes of seafoam paint. Ehukai’s owner is my nine year old daughter Kawena.

Some of the other horses who’ve owned me along with ‘Ilima were Smokey, a tall dark gelding, Sienna, a spirited sorrel philly and Oli, a nimble red racer.

My favorite memories of ‘Ilima are:

-Taking Dalton Tanonaka and camera man Rex on a film segment called “Hawaii Backroads” down the Waimea Canyon.

-Doing my ranger patrols on Crater Hill with Cousin Tony and his horse.

-Racing our wolf dog Kaiko down Kilauea road toward the lighthouse.

-Dusting off my various friends and family members who had just been tossed.

-showing off my collar bone now shaped like the letter Z instead of the normal L.

-Looking into her unusually gold colored eyes.

-Her unmistakable scent.

-Her rolly polly belly. I rarely used a saddle and usually a halter.

-Going to feed her at her various paradise pastures in Hanalei, Crater Hill, Koke’e, and Waialua all on Kauai. On Oahu she lived at the Knott’s Ranch in Kawai Nui and with Jerry Santos horses at Reggies Ranch, a time in Waianae with Dee, then for many years at the Waimanalo Polo Field where anything you wish for comes true!

-Going to Rock Quarry Kahili Beach with my surfboard under arm.

-Being a Pa’u Marshal upon her back in many parades

-Swimming out to sea and up rivers holding on to her mane. Ilima taught many other horses to swim in the ocean.

-Calling her in from the field and watching her run home bringing the other horses with her.

- My fondest memories were flying bareback down Waimanalo Beach each full moon passing bond fires and lovers… We never even touched the ground!



I thank the many people who loved and cared for Ilima:

-Vanessa Matz, the young cowgirl who introduced me to ‘Ilima.

-Phillis Segawa who discovered with me that Ilima Loves Green Grapes!

-Dale Rosenfeld who gave me lesson’s and made me wear a helmet.

-Les Milnes who patiently worked with me and Ilima and who set her up with a beautiful pasture above Wailua falls to retire in.

-Alan Duarte who shod her, took her to Kimo and let other people buck off her.

-Stanley Vass, Jason Lau, and Puka Head Chris who also shod her.

-DVM Nishimoto, DVM Himenez and DVM Sims who treated her over the years

-My daughter Kawena and her mother Emily who loved her up.

- Jenna Summa who made her look good.

-Cousin Tony Texiera who made us laugh.

-Jerry Santos who took us in when we moved to Waimanalo from Kauai.

- Dana Vennen who gave her a great job and a lot of friends with the Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii program

-Karin Stowell and her crew of the Kauai therapeutic horsemanship program and Linda who gave her so much love, care and dignity at the end of her life.

-For all that rode and loved her.



‘Ilima also lives on in the paintings that she has inspired, the pictures of her people took and the healing that she has helped with.



She is buried under her shade tree in her final pasture over Wailua falls on Kauai. After her death the entire pasture bloomed with orange flowers.

Christmas Past Slideshow

Patrick's realistic painting workship - Sarasota Florida 2/26-2/28

The Art School of Colleen Cassidy
4613 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231

•FEBRUARY 26, 6pm-8pm Presentation: $40 (Free to Workshop Participants)
Techniques Demonstration, Art and Nature slideshow, Questions and Answers.
•FEBRUARY 27, 1 - 7pm Realistic Painting Workshop. $250 includes Feb.26 Presentation, canvas, paints and all materials needed to complete 11”x14” painting.
•FEBRUARY 28, 12 - 6pm Realistic Painting Workshop. $250 includes Feb.26 Presentation, canvas, paints and all materials needed to complete 11”x14” painting. *Second Florida workshop day available for $200

PREPAID REGISTRATION RESERVES SPACE
Comes with an 11”x14” Fredrix canvas and all the paint and materials you’ll need to complete your painting. Come ready to learn, and go home with a painting that You Did!

Patrick Ching, is known as Hawaii's Nature Artist. His natural talent quickly launched Ching into an internationally known and respected painter. Ching gained international recognition due to his paintings remarkable likeness to photographs and his ability to teach someone to do the same often after only one class.

Patrick's Hawaii Realistic oil painting may be may be learned quickly. In one day he will get you familiar with your paint and materials so that you will know how to attain the colors and effects you desire. You’ll be asked to look closer at the world than you ever have before so you can figure out what layers to paint first, and next, and next. You will be able to finish a painting in one day because you will be using GENESIS non-toxic, odorless oil paints. These paints dry only when You want them to. This allows you to do several layers of an oil painting in one day. Whether you’re a beginner or professional, you will amaze yourself with your new talents.

Happy Birthday Patrick!!

Saturday, May 30th we had one heck of a party! The party was put on by Mary Wild, who was also celebrating her birthday and who recently donated to the new classroom at Naturally Hawaiian. Party featured a traditional luau style meal, live music, a not so silent auction of Patrick's art, and entertainment.

Art Miles Letter

Attention Artistic Leaders,

There is a great opportunity at hand for you to participate as muralist to "lead" in the creation of murals done by Hawaii's children. These murals will be part of the international "ART MILES MURAL PROJECT" which includes thousands of murals done worldwide that will be joined together to create a full sized 4th Pyramid in Giza, Egypt in the year 2010.

As a mural leader your responsibility will be to guide a group of children in the creation of the mural(s) with an emphasis on educational activities and/or lessons involving peace and environmental issues. You will obtain the materials for the mural including fabric, paint and expenses associated with completing and photographing the mural for reproduction into the Egyptian Pyramid. Video taping the process would also be a valuable component.

This project is a great opportunity for you to use your artistic skills to contribute to the positive growth of our youth. Please contact me to become one of Hawaii's Muralist leaders and join the children of the world in this creative collaboration. Read the articles below and visit www.artmiles.org to learn more about this amazing artistic event

led by Joanne and Fouad Tawfilis. Register also with www.artmiles.org to receive emails from artistic leaders worldwide.

Mahalo, Patrick Ching

Hawaii Art Miles Mural Project Master Muralist

Message from Joanne Tawfilis:

Hi Patrick! Welcome Aboard! WE are SOOOOOOOOOHAPPY to have you join us as a MASTER MURALIST. Bravo for us and all the people you will work with, and BRAVO for you who will enjoy this incredible and historical experience! Joanne

We have been creating a mural project consisting of 12 miles of murals from over 100 countries and by 2010 we they will have been painted by more than 500,000 people, and the murals will be digitized and made into a "skin" to cover a modular and mobile framed structure as the "4th Pyramid" that will travel after a grand exhibition in Egypt (September 21, 2010) and then available technology will allow us to export a series of multi media shows through the use of hand held solar powered projectors that will enable us to bring art, culture and technology TO THE PEOPLE in villages, towns and cities on simple walls of a building! The objective is to promote peace and dialog through the arts!

- The project is in support of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace (managed by UNESCO)

- Fouad has met with and discussed with Dr. Zahi Hawass, who recommended we create an installation exhibition near the site of the Great Pyramids of Giza

- We have received a letters of support, the most important from the UNESCO National Commission to Egypt

- We have potential sponsors interested in creating the technical/photographic images of the murals

- We have potential sponsors and interested parties to design the interior of the pyramid which would consist of an amphitheater, 12 galleries representing each mile and multi media shows, original music, holograms and 3 D within those)

- The support and partnership with the World Stage Design and) OISTAT to support us with set/scenery and artistic design within the pyramid who will convene in June 2009 to prepare for this (and before)

- Amazing technology available that will allow a virtual space within the pyramid itself that can be accessed from anywhere on the planet

*Link to O Magazine article on Joanne Tawfilis

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/women/pkgleadership/200811_omag_whp_bios/7

(UNESCO)The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence Among Children of the World

Letter of Appointment
Patrick Ching

This letter is to officially appoint you to serve as a distinguished
Art Miles Master Muralist

August 5, 2008

By accepting this appointment, your role will be to represent and be involved as a leader and advocate with and for The Art Miles Mural Project. As a master muralist you will be an important key in ensuring that murals and events are created in an atmosphere that encourages freedom of expression and quality efforts in design and organization. Your role will be to serve as an art expert, coach and a mentor to youth and people of all ages in Hawaii and around the globe.

The Art Miles Mural Project was created in 1997 to create a process that encourages people to paint what is in their soul and spirit, with an overall objective of creating Global Harmony Through Art, One Mural At A Time, One Mile At A Time. The project is recognized as one of the many international projects that support the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non Violence Among Children of the World (2001-2010).

Please know that you have been appointed to this position based on your incredible talent, professional experience, environmental activism, and ability to facilitate education and awareness regarding cultural, social and current issues through the arts. Together, and on large stretches of canvas, we will address issues focused on environment, animal and human rights, indigenous issues, democracy, gender, HIV AIDS, natural and human disasters international relations, culture, reconciliation, non-violence, and most of all, taking active and positive roles in working for world peace.

Mural events are convened in rural and urban areas--in towns, villages, and cities worldwide. To date, over 500,000 people (mostly youth) have painted over 2,000 murals, including during mural marathons at historical sites (involves over 500 children painting over 50 murals in large events). As recently as October 2007, over 4.3 miles (7.0 kilometers) of murals about “fishes of the sea” were created in the Philippines. The Art Miles Mural Project is about the PROCESS of creating murals and bringing people together to understand and respect each other and their respective cultures, and to do so through the medium of art. And this is where your greatest responsibility rests—through your enthusiasm and expertise, creative energy and caring soul, YOU can make a difference.

One of our major goals is to exhibit in Egypt with over 12 miles or more to follow. For all of us, this is an important milestone in creating global harmony and to ensure that Iraq has a representative voice that must be heard. By accepting this appointment, you will join us and many others who believe that the soul and spirit of global youth will show the world that the wish for PEACE is strong and meaningful to so many throughout the world.

May Peace Prevail On Earth!


Joanne Tawfilis

Founding Executive Director

New original AKAKA Falls I'iwi

Here is the latest original completion "Akaka Falls I'iwi"
Commissioned by Ron Takata.

"I've been drooling over owning a Patrick Ching original for years. This
painting means so much to me."
Note: Ron gave Patrick a bag of Opihi as an added tip proving our slogan:
"We accept Visa, MasterCard, Cash, Fish and Poi (and especially Opihi!)