Ninety-eight works by 94 artists from across the islands go on view Tuesday at the Schaefer International Gallery in Kahului. The exhibition runs through Dec. 23, with free admission. Its 2026 edition arrives about six decades after the statewide juried show began, though Hawaiʻi Craftsmen’s archive records a break in that history.
The exhibition’s route to Maui this year included an Oʻahu stop: it opened in September at the Downtown Art Center before moving to the Schaefer International Gallery, according to Hawaiʻi Craftsmen. Maui Now also reported on the exhibition’s Maui opening. The nonprofit, volunteer-run organization was founded in 1966; its first statewide juried exhibition was held at Ala Moana Center in 1967.
A 607-Entry Jurying Process Spanning Six Islands
Jonathan Yukio Clark, director of the Schaefer International Gallery since 2023, served as this year’s juror, Hawaiʻi Craftsmen says. He reviewed 607 entries and traveled between islands during the selection process, choosing artists from Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. His selections bring together traditional forms and contemporary approaches, with attention to technique, inventive use of materials and individual perspective.
Clark ultimately presented 25 awards worth more than $16,000, including a $5,000 Thurston Twigg-Smith Best in Show Award, per Hawaiʻi Craftsmen's prospectus. That top honor went to Jennifer Fujimoto of Oʻahu for Uki-Gumo, a large ceramic interpretation of a kokeshi doll, Maui Now reports. Hannah Shun, also of Oʻahu, took the $2,000 Elizabeth Rice Grossman Award of Excellence for Lei of Waves and Fish – Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa · Yellow Tang, a hand-shaped sterling silver piece.
Two more Hawaiʻi Craftsmen honorees came from neighbor islands. Bon Moore of Kauaʻi won the $1,000 John Young Award for Compass, a finger-woven sculpture made from natural fibers, while Maui's own Masako Joubert received the $1,000 Charles E. Higa Memorial Award of Excellence for Modern Botanical: Haku Lei #1, a porcelain sculpture. Gallery visitors will also get a say: an Audience Choice Award, sponsored by Shaunagh Robbins, will be decided by viewer votes and announced Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. at the Schaefer International Gallery.
Craft Media on Display and Gallery Access
The exhibition accepted entries through an open call to Hawaiʻi artists working in ceramic, wood, textile, glass, metal and other media, continuing the show's long-standing reach across craft disciplines, as the Maui Arts & Cultural Center describes it. The exhibition is presented by the Maui Arts & Cultural Center and sponsored in part by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, according to the center. The Schaefer International Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with additional access before select Castle Theater shows.
The scale of this year's show is smaller than the last time the exhibition traveled to Maui. In 2022, the statewide show featured 114 works by 92 artists and ran Nov. 8 through Dec. 22 at the same gallery, Maui Now reported at the time. That edition's opening reception had been held in September, roughly matching this year's calendar rhythm; both exhibitions opened on Oʻahu before traveling to Schaefer International Gallery.
A Six-Decade History, With a Gap
The exhibition began in 1967, but Hawaiʻi Craftsmen’s archive lists “NO EXHIBIT” for 1976. That record complicates calling the 2026 show the 60th consecutive year. The archive documents the gap at Hawaiʻi Craftsmen. The show’s reach extends across craft forms: the open call includes ceramic, wood, textile, glass, metal and other media, as described by the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Its island-to-island route has precedent, too: Hawaiʻi Craftsmen says the 2022 exhibition opened on Oʻahu before traveling to Schaefer International Gallery in Kahului, according to its 2022 exhibition page.
Workshops, a Lecture and a Family Day Round Out the Run
Hawaiʻi Craftsmen is also relaunching its ʻAha Hana Lima program on Maui alongside the exhibition, with its goal of increasing public awareness and appreciation of fine craft throughout the state. Paper artist and conservator Hiroko Sakurai will give a free ʻAha Hana Lima artist slide lecture on washi artwork and conservation Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. in the Alexa Higashi Meeting Room, followed by a reception. The next day, Sakurai will lead a hands-on washi workshop Nov. 21-22 teaching itajime and origami dye, urauchi paper backing, and bookbinding techniques.
Families have their own entry point into the show as well. An Observe & Play Family Day, held in honor of Shirley Yokouchi, takes place Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon and is free, offering exhibition viewing, an artist meet-and-greet, and craft activity stations. A free closing gathering is scheduled for Dec. 11, while the exhibition remains on view through Dec. 23, giving visitors multiple chances to see the award-winning pieces up close before the show packs up.
