Bill Braden's Work - Environmental Interest Series

The evolution of the Environmental Interest Series has its origins in “The Best Beaches of Hawaii.” The concept of teaming up with the City and County of Honolulu and showcasing the most magnificent treasures of the state of Hawaii is now a means for this artist’s team to help protect the world we live in.

An initial project, now dormant, started by the Nature Conservancy was “The Most Beautiful Places on Earth” series that included sites chosen by the former director of the Coastal Marine Program Atlantic and Pacific, Mr. Chuck Cook. While that project has yet to gain momentum, a separate project collaborating with the Surfrider Foundation, has blossomed with the North Shore Community Land Trust (N.S.C.L.T.) commissioned works. This is The Surfrider Foundation, Oahu chapter, and National Office Project titled Protect Our Surf Sites and Environment (P.O.S.S.E.). The idea is to paint surf sites around the world, publish the images, and thereby promote them as global treasures, much like the “Best Beaches” or the Nature Conservancy collaboration.

Like the acronym suggests, P.O.S.S.E. is the gathering together of like- minded individuals and organizations for a common purpose. In the case of the project with N.S.C.L.T., the preservation of the Pupukea Paumalu land includes a group of diverse team members: Trust for Public Lands, the City and County of Honolulu, State and Federal governments, the U.S. Army, and the Freeman Foundation.

With the completion of the purchase and preservation of Pupukea Paumalu approaching, P.O.S.S.E. is now planning a series of paintings of surf sites in Japan, working with Surfrider Foundation Japan. Part of the team’s strategy is to share the story of preserving the Hawaii surf sites success with the people of Japan.

P.O.S.S.E. is now in the phase of developing plans for other sites. The P.O.S.S.E. guides and team members includes: Edgy Lee (filmmaker), Aunty Betty Kawohiokalani Ellis Jenkins (Native Hawaiian community leader), Blake Mc Elheny (founder of N.S.C.L.T.), and Masuo Ueda (founder Surfrider Foundation Japan). Bill Braden and his partner, Jinny Thayer, welcome your inquiries about our Environmental Impact series projects.

Other pending E.I.S. projects include commissioned works for Haleakala National Park, Kalaupapa National Park, Volcano National Park, and the Arizona Memorial through Project Manager and Agent Jamie Gentry.

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Here are where the Environment Interest Series(EIS) images are used:

NSCLT (POSSE) Commissioned Pupukea Paumalu I “Monster Mush”

“Looking Towards Pupukea Paumalu” original oil on canvas. In 2006 the 12” by 36” oil on canvas was presented to the owners of the 1,129 acre property, the Obayashi Corp. in Tokyo, Japan. “When the gift was presented at the same time as a visit to the owner by rock star Jack Johnson, the owners took our efforts seriously for the fist time,” Blake McElhany exec. Dir. NSCLT

NSCLT (POSSE)
Commissioned Pupukea/ Paumala II
Pupukea/ Paumalu from Sunset Beach
“The North Shore Icon”

This image was used for note cards to thank private donors and participants. Patagonia also distributes T-shirts with the image. A donor at a fund raising event purchased the original (36” X 48” $30,000).

 

NSCLT (POSSE) Commission
Pupukea/ Paumalu III

This mural scale work was used as a backdrop, to as much as possible “put you there” at fund raisers events with entertainers such as Jack Johnson and Eddie Vetters’s Pearl Jam.

NSCLT (POSSE) Commission
Pupukea Paumalu IV
Pupukea Puamalu from Pipeline

This image was commissioned as an alternative image, but also, how can you leave out Pipeline from a series about the North Shore?

These images were commissioned by the NSCLT, North Shore Community Land Trust, to help with the campaign to preserve and protect the undeveloped mountains that are the backdrop to the most famous surf sites, (Sunset Beach, Pipeline, Waimea, etc.) Co-participants include many community groups, City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, and Trust for Public Lands.