Carlos Serra-Marchal

"KE PONO HO'I KAUA"

(When it's right we'll go back")

24" x 36"

The title and theme were inspired by a Hawaiian song from 1994, by Keali'I Reichel, who is, along with the late and yet venerated Iz, one of the most popular Hawaiian singers today. The original title of the song is "Kawaipunahele". The song seems to refer to an old love that is like "never-fading lei" and one with the "adornment of the night". Waiting for the return of such love can be painful as the song states "I'm lonely, I'm hurt, come let's go back". The artist, after listening to the lyrics, wanted to portray this surreal-like scene in which a lonely wahine dances while waiting for the right time to go back. She's inviting to go back to a time of greatness and freedom; a time in which Hawaiians were the only possessors of their legacy; to go back to a time in which they could exert the birthright to exercise their beliefs, their strong family-rooted values and venerate their royalty; a time when love for the land, love for the sea and love for the people were their first and most sacred directive. In the "adornment of the night" lies the love of Hawaii, its first King Kamehameha, for which all Hawaiians awaits his return. Maybe not in the physical form, but in the form of heritage and legacy, in the form of all the attributes and values that existed back in the days of the King. When it's right, they'll go back, but for the moment, their tradition keeps their faith alive.

"KU' ULEI" (My Desire)

24" x 36"

"KU'U LEI" honors the female beauty along with the splendor of Waikiki Beach, which in spite of the invasion of modern society (represented by the modern-style outriggers and the concrete-made skyline), still maintains its spirit filled with tradition and the richness of the Hawaiian culture. The title conveys anyone's desire to spend a peaceful night in Waikiki, under a blue moon, the shine of the stars and warmed by a campfire. The stars in the sky are a true representation of actual constellations of the Hawaiian sky.

"THE DANCE OF THE GODDESS"

24" x 48"

The Hawaiian culture is rich in legends and tradition. One of them is the legend of Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, dance and volcanoes. The artist's intention with this painting, unlike what it may come into sight, is not to portray Pele. The inspiration came after reading the story of Hi'iaka, the patron goddess of Hawai'i and hula dancers, and Pele's favorite and most loyal sister. The main characters in the story are Pele, her sister Hi'iaka, the patron goddess of Hawai'i and hula dancers, a friend of Hi'iaka named Hopoe who taught Hi'iaka a hula mimicking the waves of the sea, a light-skinned woman with a piety spirit and Palaupalae, the Guardian of the Ferns. The artist represents the richness of the Hawaiian culture with the garments made of gold. Hi'iaka was also known as the goddess "beating hot in the perpetual earth fire". The small shack invokes the possible narrative being given by a native Hawaiian to his children before going to bed as a way to preserve the legend. The dolphins are added as the artist's ingrained "second" signature. There are different versions as to the end of the story goes, but nevertheless, this painting assembles hand-picked parts of the tale.

"THE OFFERING"

16" x 20"

Kanaloa is the god of the ocean and companion of Kane, the god of creation. The Hawaiian culture, deeply attuned with the divine, believes in a supernatural being that rises above us. And if there is a place on earth where God has made a home, that place must be Hawaii. A wahine, whose nakedness symbolizes purity and transparency, makes an offering with fruits of the earth, perhaps asking for the fruits of the ocean to be plentiful, or maybe, for the safe return of a lover gone in a fishing trip. The whale in the background bursting out of the water depicts an old Hawaiian tradition, representing the times when whaling was done without compromising the whale's population.

"OHANA"

16" x 20"

If you are already familiar with the Hawaiian language or watched Disney's Lilo & Stitch, you already know that OHANA means FAMILY. And yes, we all have family and feel close to them. But the Hawaiian culture is family-centered. In this painting the artist wanted to convey that strong sense of family union by portraying a typical family of tourists, perhaps from the mainland, walking down an actual beach in Kauai with a wahine showing a tribal-style tattoo mirroring the background scene. Now the question is, would they forever keep the same strong sense of unity they show here? Would the kids toss their parents into a nursing home once they grow up and their parents become a nuisance? Or would they have learned from this wahine how to care and respect the elders all the way until the sun of their lives finally sets?

"THE MERMAID AND THE NAI'A"

24" x 36"

The mythical half-fish/half-woman has been depicted in many different ways. But, while mythological, there should be an organically correct interpretation. For example, why have scales when the other half of the body is flesh? Or why pinkish flesh tones when she lives in the water? Doesn't make more sense to have the skin tone mutated to blend with the environment just like a dolphin, a whale or a shark? And how do they reproduce if the whole bottom part is a fish tail while the belly area still human? These are the questions, which besides the visual narrative, went through the artist's mind while working on this piece. To give this myth a more plausible feeling, the artist even suggest (although not visible) the possibility of human-like reproductive organs as a way to preserve the species. Or should we say the myth?

"FANTASY PLAY"

24" x 36"

What if evolution would have taken a different course? What if humans would have remained closer to the source of its life? The ocean still carries the greatest mysteries; animals yet to be discovered; creatures to be found; even natural components to treat and cure our diseases; the harnessing of its power and convert it into clean energy. The allegedly inhospitable environment of the sea is nothing more than a reflection of our own fears based on lack of knowledge. It's like entering into a dark room for the first time, but the moment the light is on, the fear disappears. A wahine being part fish and part human is a "fantasy" for most, but evolution could have taken that route if we would have remained closer to the ocean and its creatures, and today, we would be interacting with them, playing with them, and above all, respecting them.

"A NEW DAWN OF ANOTHER TIME"

24" x 30"

The sun rising over Diamond Head, a butterfly interacting with a Wahine, the flowers and the ocean, all evocations of a past filled with beauty. Even though the Hawaiian Islands still are paradise on earth, the sky scrapers, the hotels and highways have eroded the natural beauty of this blessed land. By deliberately removing the buildings that actually exist at the edges of Diamond Head, this artwork brings to mind the times in which the interaction of the Hawaiian people with nature was unspoiled. The title itself proposes to look towards the future (a new dawn) but always remembering what went before (another time).

"THE BULLY"

16" x 16"

This is an expression about the power that stronger creatures (human or otherwise) can exert over the weakest. A classmate with a mean attitude, a lawyer pretending to care for your wellbeing, a banker giving you a loan, can all be deceptive in their approach, as some people, at times, lack of sincerity. A shark, however, is a mean-looking creature always expressing its intentions; "If I'm hungry, I'm eating you!" Of course, that only applies to marine life as humans are not part of the shark's menu.

"HELLO COUSIN"

16" x 20"

A moment to meditate about our relationship with marine mammals and the consequences of our actions or inactions. They are a lot closer to us than most people would ever know; warm-blooded mammals, air-breathing creatures, large brain, similar social behavior, etc. The Tuna fishing fleets are killing them in numbers that resembles the holocaust, not to mention the whaling industry, and while many may not see it as important, if we kill all marine mammals, the ecosystem will be out of balance, and the consequences could be devastating for humanity itself.

"NO SURF TODAY"

24" x 36"

Adaptable and always respectful to the mandates of Mother Nature, the wahines in this painting, hula dancers in a day off, symbolize the laid-back and stress-free attitude of the Hawaiian people. No waves to surf? That's okay; let's enjoy a tranquil day at the beach. With much less taboos than the "mainland" people, the uninhibited approach and ordinary bareness conveys a sense of naturalism and purity.

"THE DOLPHIN'S HULA"

24" x 48"

"THE DOLPHIN'S HULE" or ' A HULA FOR NAI'A" represents the old tradition of hula along with the devotion the Hawaiian people feels for the ocean and its creatures. Hula dancing was seeing as shocking and sinful by the missionaries in the 1830's, and convinced King Kaahumanu to make it illegal in town. Fortunately, the old tradition was kept on the country side and away from the prejudice and intolerant eyes of the missionaries. Eventually, King Kalakaua dropped the ban in the 1870's and hula dancing becoming quite popular ever since. Hula dancing is a corporeal story-telling that recreates tales and legends, preserves tradition, enriches a legacy and provides a spiritual connection with the Hawaiian culture to those lucky enough to see it live.

"LONESOME SUMMER"

24" x 36"

"With high regard and admiration for women, "LONESOME SUMMER" shows a contemplative wahine who enjoys being just by herself and has no need for company, except, perhaps, for another lonely flower.

"INNER UNIVERSE"

24" x 36"

"INNER UNIVERSE" portrays the unique inner cosmos flowing out of the head of a wahine. This cosmos remains an uncharted territory for the male side of the specie, represented here by the Dolphin, who can only go along for the ride. Any attempt to understand the inner universe of a woman, is to boldly go where no one has gone before.

"MOONLIT ROMANCE"

16" x 20"

An evocative painting in which two dolphins are courting each other just like any human couple would do. Dolphins' social structure and behavior is in many ways similar to humans, and this is particularly true with their sexual conduct and family organization. It's an artwork in which the civilized character of the dolphins seeks to convey a sense of romance under the shinny presence of the moon, a moon that although it can't be seen on the canvas, it has a strong presence through its reflection.

"DON'T HURT MY SOUL"

24" x 36"

Just like "MOONLIT ROMANCE", this piece seeks to inspire compassion and understanding toward our marine cousins by reflecting humane attitudes of care and love. This is not just a trendy stand or some political statement; it's a loud uproar to stop the indiscriminating destruction of our oceans and its creatures. We must understand that the balance of nature cannot be disrupted without paying serious consequences down the road, and that road is getting near the end.

"SAVE ME, PLEASE!"

24" x 36"

Subtitled "GENESIS 1:1 - 20..? Are we seeing the end of nature? Human's capacity for destruction, in this case via the whaling industry, has eradicated species of whales that had lived harmoniously since the beginning of times; since the creation; since Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

"ONCE UPON A TIME"

24" x 30"

Mermaids: are they mythical figures or did they actually exist? Maybe they still exist but continue to be elusive, just like the giant squid was once a legend, as well, but now a living proof that, sometimes, legends are more than just fairy tales. The title, "ONCE UPON A TIME", leaves open to the viewer's imagination how the story continues.

"KONA COCONUTS"

11" x 14"

A Yellow-billed Cardinal watches over a Gecko. Or, is it all the way around? This not an uncommon scene in Hawaii nowadays, but a few decades ago would have been impossible. The coconut trees are rather common in Hawaii just as they are in all of the islands and countries with coastlines near the Equatorial line around the planet. But the Yellow-billed Cardinal and the Gecko are not indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. They were introduced only few decades ago. The Common-house Gecko (portrayed here) was introduced in the 1940's and the Orange-spotted Gecko was introduced just in the 1980's.

"THE DUSK OF HUMANITY"

24" x 36"

The systematic hunting of whales has led some species to the edge of extinction. The Blue Whale, for example (not the ones in the painting), is among the top on the list of endangered species. From a population of more than 275,000 Blue Whales when the whaling industry started, these beautiful creatures have been reduced to less than 5,000 by the time in which the international community decided to protect them in 1966. Today, Blue Whales are estimated to number between 5,000 and 8,000, showing signs of slow recovery but not getting even close to the original figure of 275,000.

"SUBMERGED UNIVERSE - ORCAS"

24" x 36"

"SUBMERGED UNIVERSE" is a series made with Orcas, Dolphins and Humpback Whales as another study of light. Under a spotlight with a dimmer, the beautiful and impressive manipulation of light comes to life as the paintings seem to have its very own and independent source of illumination. Similar paintings were done by renowned marine-life artists Wyland and Christian Riese Lassen.

"SUBMERGED UNIVERSE - DOLPHINS"

24" x 36"

See description above (Orcas)

"SUBMERGED UNIVERSE - WHALES"

24" x 36"

See description above (Orcas)

"HOMAGE TO LASSEN"

24" x 36"

This is the artist's tribute to a great marine-life artist, Christian Rise Lassen. Carlos Serra-Marchal met Lassen in person once when Carlos Serra owned a dive shop and provided diving gear to Lassen and photographer Scott Pearson for a photo session in Pennekamp Park, in Key Largo, FL. Back then, Carlos Serra had the intention and the will to become an artist but the dive shop demanded all of his time, delaying his inner desire and aspiration for artistic expression. In gratitude for the equipment provided, Lassen ordered posters and a signed Special Edition Coffee Table book from his office in Hawaii for Carlos. Inadvertently, Lassen inspired Carlos Serra to pursue his dream, although it would take few more years for him to do so.

"AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW"

24" x 30"

Has anyone ever wondered what lies beneath the surface when a rainbow falls graciously over the ocean? Is there a pot of gold, perhaps? Well, the answer is YES, if we accept and realize that the ocean is our greatest and most wonderful treasure; the cradle of life itself.

"MEN AWAY - HARMONY KEPT"

24" x 36"

"The harmony of nature is the greatest proof that there is a creator of all things. With a harmonious and carefully crafted balance, from the smallest of fish and up to the giants of the seas, nature knows how to keep the oceans in accord. Mankind, however, with its arrogance and disregard, continuously disrupts this balance.

"NARCISSISM"

24" x 30"

"NARCISSISM" is the artist's own way to embody a personal and tragic story but applied to the marine environment. Hollywood actors, athletes, TV personalities and others, feed their inner egotistical monsters upon the blind admiration of some (the Orcas to the right) whom misplace their intrinsic need to worship upon mere mortals. Meanwhile, others are just oblivious to the exhibition (the Orcas to the left passing by). The narcissistic creates a universe of their own in which they must be the center of attention; and they are willing hurt or even to kill if they are not. A bit of pride doesn't hurt anyone, and is even healthy, but when a conceited person sees himself as a godly figure, abuse starts happening against those around, and the consequences can become deadly.

"FREEDIVING PEACEFULLY"

18" x 24"

"FREEDIVING PEACEFULLY" was inspired by the death of a professional athlete and friend of the artist, Audrey Mestre, who died during a world record attempt in the extreme sport of freediving. The title comes from the last sentence of the artist's published book "THE LAST ATTEMPT", based on Audrey's story.

"SOMEWHERE UNDER THE RAINBOW"

15" x 30" - 30" x 30" - 15" x 30"

A pod of dolphins swimming carelessly right where the rainbow touches the water; that's a scene not many have seen. But it wouldn't be surprising for anyone if, in fact, dolphins like to "hang" around a rainbow. According to the book of Genesis 9:13-16, the rainbow (bow) was set by God as a reminder that there would be no more floods. Genesis 9:13 "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. (9:14) And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud. (9:15) And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

"FIRST BREATH"

22" x 28"

Both pieces, "FIRST BREATH" and "NURTURING" (BELOW), evoke the tender love professed by the so-called Killer Whales, a name that, by the way, is wrong in both counts; they are neither killers nor whales. There is not a single attack on humans ever registered by wild Orcas (in captivity the story is different but who can blame them?) and they are the largest members of the dolphin family.

"NURTURING"

16" x 20"

"NURTURING" is a "twin" painting to "FIRST BREATH", and its subject matter is identical. The artist just felt so good with the result that decided to make another one.

SAMPLE OF PENCIL WORKS

"THE WAHINE AND THE NAI'A"

Irregular Size

This is a pencil work on recycled paper. While there are not many pencil works being shown on this site, the artist has a prolific amount of them, as his ability to draw emerged before his talent to paint. Although considered sketches, these are pieces of art by itself. In some cases, sketches made by legendary artists have been sold for more than a painting. That's because the raw talent of the artist is more palpable. Besides, there is a little secret not many dare to share; not all artists can draw. This piece is a gift the artist made for a Hawaiian friend, so the original is not for sale. The edges of the paper were burned along with a yellowing coloration treatment to provide a vintage look of circa 1810, even when the date under the signature shows 2010.

"DREAMS"

14" x 17"

What's causing her sleepiness? Maybe it's the weariness of a long Hula Dance session; or the lassitude of a hot and sunny day at the beach; or the exhaustion after a lengthy surf practice... or else. Who knows? But now the question is if she's still awake or already sleeping, because with that smile, she's either remembering something good that happened earlier, or she's having a really, really good dream.

"OVEREXPOSED"

14" x 17"

This is a freehand drawing to keep the skills adjusted showing a wahine on the beach, but the question is where did the swimsuit go? Is she OVEREXPOSED" due to the absence of bikini or to the overindulgence of sun? But who needs an answer, anyway, because it was Albert Einstein who said: "Imagination is more important than knowledge". The wahine was modeled by someone very, very close to the artist.