MACC, the When We Shine Foundation, and Maui DOE BKKM Complex Present
Exploring “Ola I Ka Wai” Through Visual Arts & Creative Writing
Fall 2026
Neida Bangerter:
Empowering Your Personal Voice
September 10, 2026 | 3:00 PM-5:30PM
MACC Alexa Higashi Meeting Room
Students thrive on art experiences that grow from imagination and play, and the satisfaction of. making stuff with their hands. With an emphasis on exploration over perfection, participants in this workshop will swing into action to learn essential drawing skills and color mixing in painting. We will collaborate on 3D work to build confidence through critical thinking and problem-solving, and finish with written personal thoughts.
Neida has developed education programs and provided visual arts instruction for students, teachers (professional development), and community organizations locally and nationally for over twenty-five years. She served as director and curator of exhibitions at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center from 2009–2023. She currently maintains an active art studio practice at home.
Workshop Overview:
This workshop focuses on exploration over perfection, encouraging students to thrive through imagination, play, and hands-on making.
Key Activities & Skills Covered:
-
Essential Drawing Skills: Learning fundamental techniques to build confidence.
-
Color Mixing: Hands-on experience with painting.
-
3D Collaborative Work: Designing projects to build confidence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
-
Reflection: Wrapping up the experience with written personal thoughts.
Dr. Lori Phillips:
Picturing Science
Part 1:
September 26, 2026 | 9:00AM-3:00PM
MACC Haynes Meeting Room
Part 2:
October 24, 2026 | 9:00AM-3:00PM
MACC Haynes Meeting Room
The world is full of important details hidden in plain sight. In this hands-on workshop series, participants will explore the connections between art, science, and observation through drawing, writing, and creative inquiry. Emphasizing curiosity and discovery over perfection, students will use artistic processes to deepen their understanding of the natural world while building confidence in their own creative voices.
Through guided activities, participants will practice close observation, develop visual storytelling skills, and reflect on the relationship between what they see and what they wonder about.
Workshop Overview:
This two-part workshop combines art and science, encouraging participants to explore, observe, and make meaning through hands-on creative experiences.
Key Activities & Skills Covered:
-
Observational Drawing: Learning techniques to closely examine and record the natural world.
-
Visual Storytelling: Connecting images and words to deepen understanding and spark curiosity.
-
Scientific Inquiry: Using art as a tool for exploration, reflection, and discovery.
-
Creative Reflection: Documenting ideas and observations through drawing and writing exercises.
Beth Marcil:
PopUps & Pockets Pt. 1
Part 1:
November 12, 2026 | 3:00PM-5:30PM
MACC Haynes Meeting Room
Part 2:
November 19, 2026 | 3:00PM-5:30PM
MACC Haynes Meeting Room
Who doesn't love the surprise of a pop-up or a hidden pocket waiting to be discovered? In this two-part workshop, participants will create interactive books while exploring bookmaking techniques that incorporate pop-ups, hidden pockets, and other paper engineering elements to reveal ideas in unexpected ways. These versatile structures invite students to combine writing, drawing, painting, and design while making their learning visible.
Through hands-on exploration and creative play, participants will discover how interactive books can support curiosity, inquiry, and self-expression across grade levels and subject areas. The workshop will provide practical strategies and inspiring examples that can be adapted to a variety of classroom settings.
Workshop Overview:
This workshop explores creative bookmaking techniques that encourage curiosity, imagination, and hands-on learning through interactive design.
Key Activities & Skills Covered:
Interactive Bookmaking: Creating books with pop-ups, hidden pockets, and other paper engineering techniques.
Visual Storytelling: Combining writing, drawing, painting, and design.
Creative Inquiry: Using art to document thinking and demonstrate understanding.
Classroom Connections: Exploring ways to adapt these engaging structures across grade levels and curriculum areas.
Additional Workshop
Nā Kumu Noʻeau
TEACHERS WHO CULTIVATE CREATIVITY
All eligible professional development hours earned through MACC workshops and trainings will be applied to Nā Kumu Noʻeau, the MACC professional development credit tracking program.
Learn more about Nā Kumu Noʻeau, including program details, recognition levels, and opportunities for participation.
About the Instructor:
Neida Bangerter
Neida is an experienced arts educator and curator with a deep background in cultivating visual arts programs.
-
Experience: Over 25 years of developing education programs and providing visual arts instruction for students, teachers (professional development), and community organizations both locally and nationally.
-
Past Leadership: Served as the Director and Curator of Exhibitions at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center from 2009 to 2023. Current Practice: Maintains an active art studio practice from her home.
About the Instructor:
Lori Philips
Lori Phillips is an artist, educator, and mixed media painter based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, with more than 40 years of experience in visual arts education. Throughout her career, she has inspired learners of all ages through her passion for creativity, storytelling, and observation.
-
Experience: Over four decades of teaching and leading visual arts programs in schools, universities, and community settings.
-
Areas of Focus: Specializes in observational drawing and writing, travel journaling, children’s book creation, and arts-integrated learning.
-
Current Practice: Maintains an active studio practice and continues to lead workshops and educational programs locally and internationally.
About the Instructor:
Beth Marcil
Beth Marcil is a professional visual artist and teaching artist who has worked with schools and educators throughout Hawaiʻi for more than four decades. She is a longtime teaching artist with the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Artists in the Schools program and has developed arts-integrated residencies that foster visual literacy, curiosity, and critical thinking.
-
Experience: More than 40 years of experience teaching students and educators across Hawaiʻi in grades K-12.
-
Areas of Focus: Specializes in drawing, painting, mixed media, paper engineering, bookmaking, and collage, with an emphasis on literacy, STEAM, and social-emotional learning.
-
Current Practice: Beth facilitates professional development workshops, leads school residencies, and creates engaging arts experiences that nurture creativity and joyful learning.
