This week I will not pretend to know what took place inside the Indianapolis Cultural Districts since I spent the last eight days soaking in the sun on the island of Kauai, one of Hawaii's beautiful islands. I won't dwell on the beautiful beaches, exotic boat rides, or snorkeling with giant sea turtles named Herb, but I do want to talk about Island Art as seen from Bali High. Just below in Hanapepe, Kauai's biggest little town on the west side of the island, I discovered a First Friday Art Walk. It was almost like being at home, but with tourists, palm trees and tropical fruity drinks with cute little umbrellas.

I was concerned at first that the only place I would see art on this island would be in the tourist traps they call market places, where you find stuffy art consultants right next to the place you will buy your $30 t-shirt that will shrink before you get it home. I was happily proven wrong. In the small little town of Hanapepe was a community of artists that have come together to keep the art alive; along with a swinging suspension bridge and the historic buildings that made you feel like you stepped foot into the middle of an old western movie. The individual galleries lined their storefront with lights to help add to the festivities.

At first glance you see paintings of large hibiscus flowers and somewhat cheesy hula dancers; exactly what one would expect the artwork to look like on an island in the tropics. Moving in a bit closer you will find so much more, though. Now, don't get me wrong, Hanapepe does not hold a torch to the IDADA First Friday walks we have here in Indianapolis, but the artists and gallery owners in this much smaller community are just as hospitable and welcoming with an "Aloha" at each door.

Amy-Lauren's Gallery was the first space I entered that didn't make me cringe; I really stopped in awe and said, "Wow, this is Island Art, but not what you would expect to see!" This was finally a gallery that showed passion, and artists working a little more from their hearts and talents and not looking to sell out with one more tourist-purchased piece of artwork.

Amy-Lauren's Gallery was showing Melinda Morey's oil paintings and they really moved me to stop and stare for a bit. Melinda's style was realism with an emphasis on reality from an artist's perspective when looking at life on the island. Her image "Local Girl in Sand" starts around $3800 for the original oil on wood panel. Aside from the odd textures of her paintings, they include scenes from everyday life, not leaving out any flaws found in her subjects. Melinda is a bit of a local celebrity with a recent showing in The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center in Honolulu. If you have the time, check out her website for images of her artwork. www.melindamorey.com

Just down the Street was some of the best plein-air art work on the island at Saim Caglayan's Gallery. I had a chance to speak with Saim for a bit and discuss his background where he studied, and his ability to master and capture the delicate light found on the Hawaiian Islands. His work had a touch of Monet here and there with some sensuality in his strokes, they are gorgeous paintings that have a tropical feel and at the same time some could have been painted right here in Indianapolis. He had paintings of the beloved Hawaiian Rooster on one side of the room, that looked oddly like a Hoosier Rooster and water lilies on the other, which looked like it came right out of a painting from France. It was a real treat to talk with this artist, who was originally from Turkey and studied architecture until he realized that his passion was to be an artist. He currently resides in Kauai. When he is not painting he is teaching others his plein-air style. www.saimcaglayan.com

Finishing up my walk around the main street of the town, I saw photographers, painters and ceramic artists who all fell in love deeply with this island and had an appreciation for the art they created about the land they lived and served. As an outsider I felt like I could honestly only hope to understand a little about the island life they loved. I could continue to walk you around Hanapepe for days, but you would have to experience it for yourself to really appreciate it, but I do hope that I have inspired you to look outside our Cultural Districts for a moment to see what other towns are doing to keep the art alive.