Bill Braden - “Create art that celebrates God’s glory”

Aloha and welcome to Bill Braden’s website. Tokyo born and raised through 8th grade the Kailua High School graduate’s career began with a one-man show in Kailua of paintings he did on location in 1978. Today he works in his 36’ by 80’ studio on the North Shore of Oahu where he creates oil paintings, murals, sculptures, and other commissioned pieces. Even though Bill had studied at some of the best art schools in the world (including The Royal Academy of Art in London and The Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and Rome, Italy), it was painting on location in Hawaii that gave him the real tools he needed to paint arguably the most beautiful landscapes on earth. His Asian half of his heritage is recognizable in his artwork as well.

One would think being selected by the City and County of Honolulu from 200 applicants to paint “The Best Beaches of Hawaii” would be Bill’s claim to fame but it’s really his Lanikai Triptych, “High Tide” (as seen on the website banner above). This image was created in 1980 and can be found in homes on the islands, on the mainland, and around the world as well as offices, cruise ships, and restaurants (even Zippys!). You can also find many of Bill’s original works in public venues such as The Waikiki Banyan Hotel, Lei Lei’s Bar and Grill at the Turtle Bay Resort (see below), Liliuokalani Gardens, Honolulu Police Station, and the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island to name a few.

Bill has galleries for you to view his work and information about some of the environmental and cultural projects he is working on. Bill and his team have made the transition from simply depicting glorious natural places (such as official commissioned views of Hanauma Bay and Kalaupapa National Park) to depicting beautiful places threatened by man to help make them protected areas (such as commissioned works for the North Shore Community Land Trust, Surfrider Foundation, POSSE Project, etc.).