Lea, Goddess Of Canoe Builders Hula Dance Watercolor Art Print AJJ Arts

Le’a, Goddess Of Canoe Builders Hula Dance Watercolor Art Print by artist Alessandra Jann-Jordan at AJJ Arts Artist’s inspiration: This painting is my interpretation of stories I have heard regarding Le’a, Goddess of canoe builders in some Hawaiian beliefs. I found the story as it was shared with me by Hawaiian friends inspiring as it relates to the symbiotic relationship between the elepaio bird (a flycatcher endemic in Hawai’i) and the canoe builders and wanted to paint it. In the story of Le’a, some say that Lea turns into the elepaio bird, and that in this transformed state, she helps the canoe builder choose a suitable tree to fell when they want to shape one into a canoe. The canoe builders pray for the bird’s appearance when they are looking for a tree, and if the bird appears and pecks at the tree, it suggests that it is bug infested and they know not to choose it. If the bird does not peck at the tree, then they select it. Other than to interpret the story and give homage to the elepaio bird, I hope to evoke for the viewer through my painting, the hard work, the stakes involved, and the spiritual blessings that are sometimes sought by Hawaiians during the building of a voyaging canoe, so that it can withstand sailing an open ocean. Prints are on quality archival Watercolor Bright White paper. If you would like to order your print in a custom size, please let me know as I can produce any size you want. If you want hand applied gold leaf on the rim around Le’a, pl