Nani Honu 

Nani Honu is a playful meeting of water, pattern, tropical color, and one of my favorite subjects to paint: the honu.

Nani in the Hawaiian language carries meanings associated with beauty, splendor, and glory, while honu means turtle—a name that felt fitting for this colorful celebration of one of Hawai‘i’s most beloved ocean inhabitants.

From across the room, Nani Honu feels colorful, joyful, and full of movement. Up close, smaller patterns, flowers, curling wave forms, and tropical details begin to reveal themselves.

Origin & Inspiration

Nani Honu grew from an earlier turtle painting I created that combined a more realistic honu with tattoo- and tribal-inspired design. That painting sold almost immediately, and rather than recreate it, I wanted to see how much further I could take the idea.

I filled this honu with transparent watercolor, tropical florals, curling wave forms, and brilliant washes of orange, red, green, and blue. The original also incorporates reflective gemstone watercolor and metallic silver linework—elements inspired in part by my years as a tattoo artist and my love of combining structure with the movement of watercolor.

Over the past year at my gallery, Nani Honu has become one of my three best-selling images in cards and prints and the most purchased image from my Silver Lining Series.

I love discovering which paintings people form their own connection with, and this little honu has certainly found hers.

About This Fine Art Reproduction

This open-edition fine art reproduction captures the color, pattern, and intricate design of the original Nani Honu.

Please note: the original artwork contains metallic silver ink and reflective gemstone watercolor that shift and shimmer as the light and viewing angle change. Those reflective effects are unique to the original artwork and are not reproduced as color-changing or metallic effects in the print.

 

---

OPEN EDITION FINE ART PRINT

This is an open-edition fine art reproduction of an original artwork by Christie Marie Elder.

Open-edition prints are created without a fixed edition limit, making them an approachable way to collect and enjoy my artwork while still receiving a professionally produced fine art reproduction.

Each print is made to order using archival-quality materials and professional fine art printing methods.

---

COLD PRESS FINE ART PAPER

Printed on a beautiful Cold Press Textured Matte Fine Art Paper, chosen for its rich surface and its ability to complement the character of watercolor and painterly artwork.

The paper is a substantial 340 gsm, 100% cotton rag, acid-free fine art paper with a neutral-white, heavily textured matte surface. Its texture is reminiscent of traditional watercolor paper, allowing color, detail, and subtle variations in the artwork to reproduce beautifully.

Fine art paper prints are sold unframed and unmatted, allowing you to choose a presentation that works with your own space and style.

Because many of my paintings have their own unique proportions, I prefer to preserve the artwork’s original composition rather than crop it simply to fit standard frame dimensions. A custom-cut mat is an easy way to fit the print into a larger standard frame while keeping the complete image visible.

---

METAL PRINT

Metal prints give the artwork a luminous, contemporary presentation with particularly rich color, crisp detail, and beautiful depth.

The image is reproduced onto a polymer-coated aluminum surface using dye-sublimation printing, a process in which the image becomes part of the coated surface rather than sitting on top of it.

The finished print is lightweight, durable, water-resistant, and scratch-resistant, with especially vibrant color and strong contrast.

Each metal print includes an inset frame on the back with hanging wire and arrives ready to hang. The recessed mounting system allows the artwork to sit slightly away from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary floating effect.

Metal is one of my favorite choices for artwork featuring water, tropical color, night skies, reflections, and luminous blues, because the medium can give those colors wonderful visual presence.

Please note: the metal print itself does not recreate metallic or reflective pigments that may be present in the original painting unless specifically stated in the artwork description.

---

AVAILABLE SIZES

Each artwork is offered only in sizes that work well with its composition.

Rather than forcing every image into the same standard proportions, I preserve the artwork’s intended shape whenever possible.

Available sizes for this artwork:

• 12.75 × 18"
• 19 × 27"
• 25.5 × 36"

Dimensions refer to the printed artwork itself.

---

MADE TO ORDER

Each fine art print is made especially for you after your order is placed rather than pulled from mass-produced inventory.

My professional fine art printing partner produces each piece using calibrated professional printing equipment and archival-quality materials before carefully preparing it for shipment. My partner provides fulfillment, so the print is produced and shipped directly to you as part of Kaua‘i Christie’s Art. 

Because each piece is made to order, please allow several business days for production before shipping.

---

SHIPPING & DELIVERY

Once your print has completed production, it is carefully packaged for shipment and tracking information is provided when available.

Fine Art Paper: Larger paper prints are normally protected and shipped rolled in a sturdy mailing tube. Flat shipping may be available for certain sizes for an additional charge. 

Metal Prints: Metal prints are securely packaged to protect the surface and edges during transit.

Production and shipping are separate stages. Please allow time for your artwork to be created before carrier transit begins. Delivery times vary by destination and shipping method.

For time-sensitive orders, please contact Kaua‘i Christie’s Art before ordering so I can help determine the best available option.

---

ABOUT COLOR & REPRODUCTION

I take care to reproduce the color and character of each original artwork as faithfully as possible.

Please keep in mind that every screen displays color somewhat differently, so the artwork you receive may vary slightly from what you see on your phone, tablet, or computer.

Because an original painting may contain texture, metallic pigments, gemstone watercolor, surface sheen, or other materials that interact physically with light, some qualities of an original simply cannot be duplicated in a reproduction.

When an artwork includes one of these special effects, I’ll note it in the individual artwork description.

---

CARE

Fine Art Paper: Framing behind protective glazing is recommended. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, moisture, and handling of the printed surface.

Metal: Dust gently with a clean microfiber or soft dry cloth. If deeper cleaning is needed, professional printer recommends warm water or a mild cleanser. Avoid prolonged direct sunlight whenever possible.