Bits of my weekend - Fabulous sunset!

Had a wonderful weekend! Performed in a comedy showcase at a restaurant called Indigo in their Opium Den room Sat. nite - so many talented comics, I am inspired to write more! And then watched a fabulous sunset sunday night at Queen's Beach near Waikiki. Sometimes the simple things are the best, especially here in Hawaii~

View from the jetty

Comedy Open Mike Night!

So, as you know, I've been spending a lot of time writing, editing, editing again comedy to perform at open mikes around town. It's SO much fun! These pictures are from last night (9-21-11) at the Dragon Upstairs, a bar in downtown Honolulu, what a fun night! What encouraging, supportive comedians. What hilarious comedy bits performed. I am so hooked and inspired to write and perform some more. Stay tuned for more~

The "Loud Haole" bit with a megaphone!

Some awesome friends showed up to share a great night!

Turtles, sunset and Kaimana Beach

I haven't been able to capture turtles underwater with my underwater camera at Kaimana Beach in a while - either I see them and don't have my camera on me or I just don't see them lately. Timing is everything, isn't it? Yesterday was a WONDERFUL exception and I got four really good shots. I like how they look like they are floating or flying underwater, so peaceful. If only the world could be as peaceful as a Hawaiian Sea Turtle! Sure is great to see them after a stressful day at work.  Enjoy! Maybe it will make your day more peaceful~ I call this guy, Clyde~

 Clyde the Sea Turtle Four - Order prints here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/clyde-the-sea-turtle-four-erika-swartzkopf.html?newartwork=true

 Clyde the Sea Turtle Three - Order prints here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/clyde-the-turtle-three-erika-swartzkopf.html

 Clyde the Sea Turtle two - Order prints here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/clyde-the-sea-turtle-two-erika-swartzkopf.html

 Clyde the Sea Turtle
Prints available here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/clyde-the-sea-turtle-erika-swartzkopf.html

 Beautiful sunset at Queen's Beach

 Waikiki from Queen's Beach

Kaimana Beach. home of the sea turtles!

New duck friends, Kaimana beach and a new abstract!

Had a fabulous weekend, hoping you did, too. snapped some cool shots of ducks around Kapiolani park and a banyan tree which inspired my new abstract painting and of course fabulous beach shots - Enjoy!

 Fabulous clouds at Kaimana this weekend

 "Psychedelic Banyan Tree"- my latest painting, created with watercolor crayons

 Queens - some big waves this weekend

The banyan tree that inspired my new abstract!

A Box of Pastels

I once held on my knees a simple wooden box
in which a rainbow lay dusty and broken.
It was a set of pastels that had years before
belonged to the painter, Mary Cassatt,
and all of the colors she'd used in her work
lay open before me. Those hues she'd most used,
the peaches and pinks, were worn down to stubs,
while the cool colors - violet, ultramarine -
had been set, scarcely touched, to one side.
She'd had little patience with darkness, and her heart
held only a measure of shadow. I touched
the warm dust of those colors, her tools,
and left there with light on the tips of my fingers.

~Ted Kooser

The Bones gig at Rafters and Tikis at The Ferrarver Young Festival~

So, I just had one of those fabulous Labor Day weekends that you never want to end. On Friday night, hubby Joe played cello at Ward's Rafters, the house of a lady named Jackie in Kaimuki, who has been having live entertainment at her house for over 20 years now every weekend. The Bones band include: Electric cello (Joe), electric fiddle (Lisa Gomes), electric stand-up bass (Ian Chaimes), and Steve Orenstein on guitar -  they were awesome:

Then, on Sunday night, my friend Derek turned 50 and organized the Ferrarver Young Festival with three of our friends' bands playing a gig at La Mariana Sailing Club on Sand Island: Hamajang, Mary's Meltdown and Oriental Love Ring. Derek let me have a small table and sell some of my art there, and I sold some = awesome!  Danced more than I have in a long time. Not sure if my friends ARE getting old after all, they still look pretty young to me. It was a fantastic night.

 Here is my Tiki-art-for-sale table

 Good friends!

The indoor waterfall is way cool!

Turning 50!

Hamajang band played a great set!

Best Tiki Costumes award!

Joe made it for the last set after work, yay~ 

Mary's Meltdown ROCKED the house during their awesome set!

 More friends

The birthday boy Derek is blue and Mr. Charlie

Hamajang in MOTION!!

 Havin' fun!

 Tikilicious!

 Oriental Love Ring with Marti Nice sittin' in, they rocked out~

Happy Labor Day Weekend, All!

I'll be working on my comedy, drawing more Tikis and hitting the beach~ ALOHA!

Mini-Tiki Paintings, more Seaglass Pendants and Beach

I made five, small Tiki Paintings recently to sell at a friend's birthday gig this coming sunday (more coming!) - they are about 5 3/4" x 8 1/2" and it's hard to tell by the pictures but the water-based acrylic gold REALLY makes them shine.

 "Solid Gold Tiki"

 "Tutu Tiki"

 "Hawaiian Tiki"

 "Harvey the Tiki"

"Hawaiian Space Tiki"

More Seaglass Pendants!  Email me if interested, they are available:swartzkopf@yahoo.com

 close-up of pendants

 The whole collection

 Reds

Lovely Blues and Greens

Recent beach pictures from the land of ALOHA!

 Queens beach

 Queens Beach near Waikiki

Tiki in a store window on Kapahulu Ave.