Local artisans turn others' trash into creative crafts

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

A protea-fiber candle holder by Linden Art is available at the Made in Hawaii Festival. Made in Hawaii Festival Noon-9 p.m. tomorrow, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall $2, children under 6 free 533-1292, madeinhawaiifestival.com.

At their studio in Kula, Maui, Quartucci and her mother, Cynthia Linden, use protea plants, hibiscus, bougainvillea and recycled linens to create candleholders, serving bowls, platters and vases. Their cottage industry is called Linden Art. Pieces take up to three weeks to finish.

Protea-fiber vessels are sold in galleries on Maui or at www.mauimarkets.com.

When the upcoming movie "The Big Bounce" needed a life-size mermaid, artist Dale Marie Cronn obliged. The glassy beauty now hangs above the bar at a house in Sunset Beach.

Eleven years ago, Cronn began making earrings with beach glass and recycled copper wire. Soon the art outgrew any beach glass she could find, so she began to work with broken glass scavenged from trash sites, polishing it in a 15-pound capacity tumbler.

"You can be real creative with trash," Cronn said, adding: With "a lot of mediums you have to spend money — with this, I don't have to. It just evolved, and I so enjoy what I do."

Cronn's work is at Global Creations Gallery in Hale'iwa, Kaukini Gallery on Maui, Elements on the Big Island and at craft fairs. Information: dalecronn@hotmail.com.

While many woodworkers seek only koa and decry the unavailability of native Hawaiian woods, Eisenhart's Hana Lima works with others' wood "leftovers." She's been known to knock on the doors of strangers if she sees a fallen or cut-down tree in their yard. Lychee, eucalyptus, kamani, Norfolk Island pine, macadamia nut, pheasant wood, mahogany and even haole koa are used.

Her latest creations are hurricane lanterns. "One night, we had the candle on a plain old plate, and I thought. 'I could make a pretty base out of wood, and it would look beautiful.' "