A change of scene is good for the soul and for the art practice.
There’s no better souvenir than the refreshed outlook one brings back to the studio after time away.
One of the highlights of our recent vacation was a visit to Shangri La, Doris Duke’s Honolulu home / now museum that is dedicated to her massive collection of Islamic art.
Below are just a few of the many gems that caught my eye.
Diamond Head from the museum’s lawn
A mirrored ceiling within what had once been a dressing room
Heavily carved and intricately painted doors embellished with gold leaf
Outdoor stairs leading to an open-air patio on the roof of one of the galleries. Can you imagine the parties?!
While vividly-colored tilework dominates the collection, this embroidered tapestry stood out for its textural detail and subtle use of teal blue.
The abundance of rich details – paint work, tiles and the perforated lantern – made this little alcove sparkle
The museum’s galleries branch off a central, open-air courtyard. This spectacular tile wall and the metal grillwork above it anchor one side of that space.
Heavenly blue
The elaborate details of a mother of pearl inlaid bureau
This beautiful recreation of a Mughal Garden is inspired by the Shalimar Gardens built in 1637 CE in Lahore, Pakistan, which were constructed during reign of the Mughal Empire.
Who knows how or when all this inspiration may resurface. The main thing is, it’s now in the “vault”.
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A couple of irresistible, sea-related visual treats spotted at other Oahu locations…
And despite the on-again, off-again rain – there was still an opportunity to walk (and sketch) along the beach.
Ulupa’u Crater ©2026 Elizabeth Fram Watercolor on paper, 5.5 x 7.25 inches
I brought along my new travel palette (5-5/16″ x 3-3/8″ x 1/4″) from Art Toolkit. It was a huge success. I left room for a couple of extra mixing pans on the right, and still was able to fit plenty of paint colors.
I took this shot before we left so I would remember what colors I brought with me. The stainless steel pans are all removable and can be switched around. The variety of available pan sizes gives one a lot of flexibility according to which colors you want to bring, and how much of each. They all rest on a magnet that is built into the palette bottom – so there’s no fear that anything will fall out.
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Now that I’m back I’ve been hard at work, mostly following various ideas to see where they lead. I’m pleased with the direction the stitching is taking on this piece that I showed you last time.
©2026 Elizabeth Fram
And one final thing to share:
I am really excited to have stumbled upon Northern Kentucky University’s Drawing Database. on YouTube. The bite-size art history videos lured me in, but I will be back for some of the longer sessions. Hope you enjoy it too.