ESTHER HI'ILANI CANDARI 

     Esther Hi’ilani Candari was born to a mixed Asian American family and raised on the beautiful eastern shore of Oahu, Hawai'i. As an artist, her work reflects this rich multicultural upbringing and often draws upon Polynesian symbols and cultural ideologies. Her work is primarily figurative and explores concepts such as; multiracial identity; gender and the female gaze in context of religion; and the nuance of human psychology that can be expressed through portraiture. Many of her portraits break the fourth wall with their direct gaze and challenge the viewer to engage with the subject on an intimate level, rather than merely observe. The foundations of her painting techniques are traditional in nature, but her meticulously crafted multimedia applications infuse the final works with a unique, innovative, and captivating edge. 

       In addition to painting, she works as an online faculty member for SVU, Director of Programming for Writ and Vision Gallery, and serves on the Board of Directors for Dialouge Journal.  She currently lives in Utah County with her husband, two needy cattle dogs, and an ever-growing collection of house plants.  

CURRICULUM VITAE

 

EDUCATION:

 

Masters of Fine Arts

Emphasis in Painting

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

 

Summer Undergraduate Residency, July 2017

New York Academy of Art, New York City, New York

 

Bachelors of Fine Arts, June 2017

Painting & Sculpture Emphasis, Photography Certificate

Brigham Young University Hawaii, Laie, Hawai'i

 

 

EXPERIENCE:

​

April 2022 - Present

Director of Programming

Writ and Vision Gallery, Provo, Utah 

​

September 2021 - September 2022

Curriculum Developer

Sentient Academy, Provo, Utah 

​

August 2019 - Present

Adjunct Art Faculty

Southern Virginia University, Buena Vista, Virginia

​

February 2022 - Present

Board of Directors Member

Dialouge Journal, Farmington, Utah

​

August 2020 - July 2021

Art Teacher

American Preparatory Academy, Draper, Utah 

​

December 2019 - June 2020

Council Member

Buena Vista Arts Council, Buena Vista, Virginia

​

February 2019 - July 2019

Assistant Registrar

The Fralin Museum of Art

The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

​

November 2017 - July 2019

Artist in Residence

Center for Multicultural Enrichment

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

​

June 2017 - August 2017

Artist's Assistant

Joseph Brickey

Beaux-Arts Academy, Provo, Utah

 

August 2017 - March 2019

Graduate Assistant to the Director

Office of Equity and Inclusion

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

 

December 2016 - June 2017

Teaching & Lab Assistant for Beginning and Figurative Painting

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

 

January 2017 - May 2017

Art and Art History Instructor for Grades K-12

Harmony Educational Services

 

June 2015 - December 2016

Teaching & Lab Assistant for Figurative Sculpture

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

​

 

RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS, & AFFILIATIONS:

​

2022 - Present 

Portrait Society of America

 

2016 - Present 

Honor Society Member

Phi Kappa Phi

​

 

2022

Juror

Springville Museum 

Spiritual and Religious Show

​

Juror

Salt Lake City Community College

President's Show

​

2020

Jury Honorable Mention and Show Poster Feature

Springville Museum 

"Spring Salon: Fall Edition" 

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2019

Student Thesis Research Grant

Center for Research and Scholarship

Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

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Institute of Classical Art and Architecture 1st Place Award

"Dialogue" Feature Artist Award

Jury Honorable Mention

Zion Art Society

"Certain Women: Statements of Purpose" Invitational Exhibit

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Honorable Mention

Alliance of Covenant Artists

Fall Symposium of Fine Art and Faith

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Women of Color Art Scholarship

Exponent II

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2018

Peer Award Scholarship

Vision of the Arts Scholarship

​

2017

First Place for Fine Arts

Kula Manu Literary Journal Juried Art Competition

​

Department Merit Scholarship

Brigham Young University Hawai'i

 

2015-2016

University Honor Roll

Brigham Young University Hawai'i

 

2015 

First Place for Cover Art

Kula Manu Literary Journal Juried Art Competition

 

Second Place for Fine Arts

Kula Manu Literary Journal Juried Art Competition

 

 

EXHIBITIONS:

 

2022

$100 Show

Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT

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God's Grace

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

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Alternativity

Writ and Vision, Provo, Utah

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$1000 Show

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

​

People Are My Favorite (Portrait Society)

Anthony's Fine Art, SLC, Utah

​

Women Out West

Sears Museum, St. George, Utah

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Business Card Show

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

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BIPOC Women

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

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300 Plates

Utah Art Access, SLC, Utah

​

Spring Salon 

Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah

​

A Chosen Vessel (Solo Show)

Writ and Vision, Provo,  Utah

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Kama'aina: Child of the Land (Solo Show)

Salt Lake Community College, SLC, Utah

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All Are Alike Unter God: International Art Competition

Church History Museum,  SLC, Utah

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A New Page

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

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2021

God's Grace

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

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Depictions of Divinity

Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah,

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Spiritual and Religious Art of Utah

Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah,

 

Certain Women - Zion Art Society Invitational 

Anthony's Fine Art and Antiques, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Business Card Show

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

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Rogue

Sears Art Museum, St. George, Utah

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300 Plates

Utah Art Access, Online

​

A Girl's Guide to Heavenly Mother - An Exhibition

Writ and Vision, Provo, Utah

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All Shapes and Sizes

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

​

2020

Spring Salon Fall Edition

Springville Museum, Springville, Utah

 

Business Card Show

JKR Gallery, Provo, Utah

​

Barren: Solo MFA Show

Liberty University, Online

​

2019

Buena Vista Arts Council Holiday Exhibition

BVAC Center, Buena Vista, Virginia

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Certain Women - Zion Art Society Invitational 

Anthony's Fine Art and Antiques, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Certain Women - Zion Art Society Invitational 

Anthony's Fine Art and Antiques, Salt Lake City, Utah

​

Zeta Chi Juried Art Show

Academy Center of the Arts, Lynchburg, Virginia

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Meditations on Belief - 11th Triennial International Art Competition

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church History Museum, Salt Lake City, Utah

​

2018

XL Catlin Art Prize Exhibit

San Fransisco Art Institute, San Fransisco, California

Linda Warren Projects, Chicago, Illinois

New York Academy of Art, New York City, New York

​

African American History Month Exhibit

Center for Multicultural Enrichment, Liberty University, Virginia

 

2017

Summer Undergraduate Residency Curated Final Exhibit

New York Academy of Art, New York City, New York 

​

Greater than Rubies: Solo BFA Exhibition

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

​

Risen: Figure Painting Easter Exhibit

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

 

2016

Explorations - Advanced Painting Group Exhibit

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

 

Vulnerable: A solo sculpture show

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

​

Reflections: Figure Painting Self Portrait Exhibit

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

​

 

PRESENTATIONS:

​

2022

Mixology for Artists

Vision X Conference

Virtual

​

2020

Patterns in Diversity

Sunstone Conference

Salt Lake City, Utah

​

2017

An Alternative Approach to Feminism Through Art

Undergraduate Research Conference

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

 

2016

The Academics of Art

Undergraduate Research Conference

Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

 

ASSISTANT WORK:

 

2018

Christus Mural

Joseph Brickey

Monumental Oil on Canvas Mural

LDS Temple Visitor's Center, Rome, Italy

​

2016

The Royal Family

Asipeli Viliami Toluta'u

Permanent Sculpture

Waikiki International Marketplace, Honolulu Hawai'i

 

Portrait of King Siaosi Tupuo II of Tonga

Asipeli Viliami Toluta'u

Permanent Sculpture

Tonga Mission Centennial Memorial, Nuku'alofa, Tonga

 

 

PUBLICATIONS & NOTABLE COLLECTIONS:

 

2022 

The Beauty and Burden of Time

Collection of the Bradburn Family 

​

Custom Illustrations

"Bedtime Stories for Girls of Destiny" by Raleigh Wilkinson

Cedar Fort Publications, American Fork, Utah

​

Imua

Collection of Salt Lake City Community College

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2020 

All I Ask

The Church History Museum, Salt Lake City, Utah

​

Makua

The Springville Museum of Art, Springville, Utah

​

Christo

"Hear Him" 

Covenant Publications, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Questions and Conversations About Art At Church

Exponent II, Online Publication, Salt Lake City, Utah

​

Makua

"A Girl's Guide to Heavenly Mother" by McArthur Krishna

Deseret Book Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah

​

2018

All I Ask

Motherhood

Santa Clara Review,  Literary Journal, Santa Clara University, California

​

2017

Enlightened

David O. McKay Library, Brigham Young University Hawai'i, Laie, Hawai'i

 

2016

Lower Lights

Ka Pohaku

Colors of Courage

Painting Life

Kula Manu Literary Journal Competition, Brigham Young University Hawai'i

​

Ka Pohaku

Collection of John S. Tanner, President, Brigham Young University Hawai'i 

 

2015

Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?

Hawaii Ku'u Ipo

Sepia Samoa

Point of View

Kula Manu Literary Journal Competiton, Brigham Young University Hawai'i

 

2013

Wallflower

Life in Black and White

The Artist

Kula Manu Literary Journal Competition, Brigham Young University Hawai'i