The 2016 Festival Art is in: Hand-Carved Woodblocks Tell the Story of the Kona Brewer’s Festival

For the second year, Caren Loebel-Fried, an accomplished Big Island artist from Volcano, has collaborated with the KBF design team, Flint Design Co, to create hand-carved woodblocks featuring four stunning vignettes of the traditions that make our brew fest so special – Take a look and find: the blessing and gifts to our community,
the incredible island food from local chefs,
live music performances, and of course,
the amazing craft beers.

At the center is Hawai’i Island with Caren’s beautiful interpretation of the Kona Brewer’s Festival logo.

Caren carves the individual blocks, then rolls them in black ink, covers the block with a sheet of paper and puts each one through a press to pull a final print of each block.  The prints are hand colored by Caren and then assembled into a single final art piece by Kristen Burda at Flint Design.

Caren and Kristen developed the composition together and it includes details such a Awa leaves surrounding our beer mug – an important plant to Hawaiians, a handwoven fish net for catching opakapaka and the ti leaf wrapped Ho’okupu offered at the Heiau of King Kamehameha II. Mele leaves and native hibiscus flowers create the lei-style frame that surrounds the artwork.

Conservation and culture are the foundation for Caren’s passion and work. She works on behalf of the wildlife in Hawai’i, with the aim of bringing people closer to Hawai’i’s natural world.

Look for this wonderful, original art around the festival on posters, t-shirts and extended to limited edition prints. Net proceeds from the sale of print reproductions, merchandise and festival tickets go directly to our beneficiaries each year.