Born on June 18, 1956, Tabora continues the legacy of generations of artists who populate his family tree. Growing up surrounded by art and artists, his earliest memories are of watching the creative process in action. His lessons in the disciplines of drawing and painting began almost as early as he can remember.
During his youth, he was directed by his favorite uncle, Rick Gonzalez. As
with all apprentices, his days were occupied by sweeping floors, cleaning paint
brushes and preparing painting materials, as well as receiving expert training
in the traditional techniques of the old masters. Already an accomplished
Realist at the age of twenty, he opted to continue his education, starting at
Washington State University, and receiving his degree in fine arts from the
University of Hawaii. He was soon discovered by Hawaii's leading art galleries
and has since risen to great renown as one of the finest
seascape painters in the world.
The splendor of Hawaii's tropical shores is a constant source of Tabora's inspiration. Yet in his creative process, he relies even more on his heart than he does on his eye. "I romanticize," he says. "The scenes I portray are memories I have imagined...memories of when the footprints of men were not so prolific and deep. Nature alone is the subject of my work. Its allure is exquisitely pure. That's what I wish to convey. I see Hawaii's land and sea the essence of beauty itself. It reaches to me with a richness of emotion that I simply must express."
Tabora's work is magical with a remarkable glow that seems to shine from an inner light. His colors are all at once subtle and intense. He achieves this through a long and painstaking process of layering and glazing. Tabora begins with a wash of turpentine and color. Then using oils, he under-paints the image. This is followed with five to ten applications of colors he calls transparent, each to bring out a greater sense of depth or tonal value. Each layer builds luminosity and light within the transparent waves. His highlights and glazes complete his paintings, resulting in works that enter our minds and become our dreams.
Tabora's art strikes a cord deep within, sending us to a mystical place where our imagination is free to wander amid our fondest memories. Ultimately we arrive at a moment of tranquility. To capture these moments and share them with his viewers--this is the artist's highest aim and this is the true essence of Roy Tabora's unforgettable seascapes.
Art Gallery
