Colors in Hawaii are more sheer and luminous than in California, so I use more layers of watercolors either alone or as underpainting for pastel paintings. Sunrises and sunsets are fleeting but so glorious it makes rising at dawn worthwhile. Outdoor painting conditions are rarely ideal, a challenging combination of heat, wind, rain and and mosquitos. But the beauty of sparkling aquamarine water and the drenched, shimmering light makes it irresistible.