Marine artist Wyland got his start in Laguna Beach before moving part time to Maui, where he would dive with the humpback whales later depicted in his life-size murals and paintings.
“They had to close down Front Street, there was so many people enjoying it,” he said.
But Wyland said he keeps thinking about that wall. Despite the fires decimating everything, the concrete wall survived, he said, charred but still standing amid the devastation.“I want people to remember this place and art is the way to do it. When it’s time, I will go out there and paint that mural as a gift to the people of Maui, for hope,” he said. “To create beauty and hope – that’s what Maui was, and will be in the future.
But he has hope, Wyland said while speaking from Oahu, where he bought a home after spending several years in Maui. Wyland was scheduled for an appearance at his Maui gallery in a few weeks, with plans to stay in his old room at the Pioneer Inn. Instead he will be holding a fundraiser on Oahu this coming weekend.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Maui Officials Clarify Reports Oprah Winfrey Denied Entry into Maui ShelterOprah Winfrey was reportedly denied entry into a Maui shelter where wildfire survivors were seeking refuge ... but officials on the island are looking to clear it all up.
Read more »
Joe Biden's response to Maui fire death toll sparks backlashThe president reportedly said 'no comment' to questions about the number of deaths on the Hawaiian island, prompting outrage online.
Read more »
Why weren't Maui residents warned about the fire sooner?Hawaii has what officials have previously touted as the world's largest all-hazard public warning system. However, the head of the state's emergency management agency said that records do not suggest that those sirens were triggered on Maui.
Read more »
Opinion | The Fire in Maui and the Lesson of GreeceFrom WSJopinion: What went wrong in Maui? Critics are questioning the emergency response and the effectiveness of evacuations. As in other disasters, comparisons with practices elsewhere are helpful, writes profces.
Read more »
Maui fire becomes the deadliest wildfire in modern US history as death toll rises to 96Jeff Hickman, spokesperson for Hawaii’s Department of Defense, gave the latest numbers to TODAY Monday, adding that with only 3% of the search done, 'the fear is the number will get higher.'
Read more »
Hawaii fire: Maps and before and after images reveal Maui devastationHawaii Governor Josh Green said the fires were the 'largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history' and that 80% of the beach-front town had 'gone' - satellite images gave an immediate sense of the scale of the damage.
Read more »