Where to Buy Great Art on Maui

When you travel do you buy souvenirs for yourself? A friend who has traveled extensively buys a small painting every place she’s traveled. Her walls are filled with wonderful art and neat travel memories. I love that idea! What a great way to remind yourself of all the trips you’ve taken.

Not sure you want to invest in an original painting? How about jewelry, ceramics or a handmade purse? You may be surprised what artists are doing with their art these days! How about a shower curtain print, a cell phone cover or a decorative pillow? Of course you could go with the traditional prints, giclees, cards or calendars too.

There are a lot of great artists here on Maui and if you look in the right places, you can meet them and perhaps even take a picture of them with your new treasure!

Here are my favorite places to shop and meet a local artist while looking for great art on Maui.

• The Lahaina Arts Society is a group of Maui artists who collectively sell their art at Lahaina Cannery Mall. Pre fire  they were  in the old Lahaina Courthouse and its former jail (oceanside of the Banyan tree), The gallery is staffed by member volunteers, a portion of sales goes toward art education on Maui. They also hosted several craft fairs a month under the Banyan Tree in Lahaina. Here you meet artists and see a much greater variety of art and crafts than what is on display in a gallery. Grab a coffee or shave-ice and go on a treasure hunt! I met Beth Cooper under the Banyan Tree and bought this great oil painting last month

• The Maui Open Studios if you are on Maui during the month of February, do not miss this free self-guided tour of artists’ studios and galleries. February begins with a preview on Saturday, February 6th hosted at the Maui Culinary Academy in Kahului. On each of the following three weekends artists host open houses around Maui. Meet these local artists, check out their studios, watch them create their art, and shop with all proceeds going directly to the artist! Weekend 1 (Feb 14/15) is Upcountry, Weekend 2 (Feb 21/22) is North Shore, Central and Hana, and Weekend 3 (Feb 28, Mar 1) is South Maui. View the artists’ information online and plan your route! 

• The Maui Hands Art Gallery has three locations in Makawao, Pa'ia and Wailea at the Shops at Waileat. These galleries are privately owned and represent over 300 artists, all based in Hawai’i, the majority from Maui. Every month they showcase different local artists who will then spend some time at the gallery, creating and talking with customers. Last year I bought a beautiful color infused aluminum etching hand signed by Richard Digiacomo at the Makawao Maui Hands gallery.

• The Maui Swap Meet takes place every Saturday morning from 7am-1pm at the University of Hawaii campus in Kahului. Admission price is minimal at $2/person, parking is free. Bring a bag, you never know what you will find at the swap meet! Come early for the best selection. There is no “specific” web info for the swap meet, so I always find the best results is to do a google search.

Of course there are many individual galleries all around the island. Many of the local shops along South Kihei road and of course a few pricy ones on Front Street in Lahaina (I bought a great Peter Lik picture here years ago) and also at the Shops at Wailea or Whalers Village in Ka'anapali. Any other fun stroll too is through many of the larger hotel’ foyers as well.

As always, we welcome comments about our posts and always welcome ideas for new topics.

What is the best Maui fruit?

The best fruit on Maui is widely considered to be the Maui Gold pineapple,

Celebrated for its exceptional sweetness and flavor that surpass many other pineapples worldwide, Maui Gold pineapples are renowned for their golden yellow skin and exceptionally sweet and juicy flesh. They are available year-round and stand out from typical pineapples due to their consistently high quality and sweetness. Maui Gold is often highlighted as a premier fruit on the island, enjoyed fresh or in various local delicacies. 

Alongside this, Maui is known for a vibrant array of tropical fruits including papayas, mangoes, and apple bananas, each offering unique tastes emblematic of the island’s fertile soil and ideal growing climate. 

Top Five “Other” Fruits on Maui

• Yee’s Mangos in Kihei:  Okay, so these are even more than those golden apples at Safeway – I believe last time I asked, they were around $3/lb, maybe more. But, I promise you, these mangos are better than any you will find in a grocery store. I call them my breakfast candy! Yee’s orchard is in Central Kihei along South Kihei Road – next to Long’s Plaza, across the street from the Arts & Crafts Fair (by McDonalds). It’s ‘just a shack’ and sometimes you will see a peacock strolling along. (1165 S. Kihei Road, Kihei, HI, United States, 96753) 

• Apple Bananas :  Find these at any farmer’s market. Apple bananas are about half the size of regular bananas. They are firmer, and even if the peel turns color, they are usually still firm. They have a bit of a tangy after taste (reminiscent a little of apple). Try them! There are different varieties so ask for assistance. Some are better for eating, others for cooking. 

• Lilikoi: Also known as passion fruit. These are a strange leathery fruit that grow on a vine. The color (when ripe) can be yellow, pink or purple. If they look perfect, they are still sour. If they are starting to shrivel or look a little worse for wear, they are sweeter (though still tart). You cut them in half and scoop out the seeds and juice with a spoon. Yes, the seeds are edible. 

• Papaya : Truth be told, I am not that big a fan – these are an acquired taste. However, if you can find a strawberry papaya, buy it! It can be hard to tell by the outside, but the flesh is more of an orange-red color and they are sweeter than the usual kind you can buy. They will be smaller. How to eat them – first cut off the end (by the stem), then slice lengthwise and scoop out all the papaya seeds. Please do not run the seeds through the garburator – it will plug it up. 

Local hint, perk up your papaya by scooping lilikoi seeds/juice into the papaya’s cavity, it gives the papaya extra zest. You can also squeeze some lime juice over the papaya. Another friend sprinkles cinnamon over her papaya and fills it with blueberries. 

• POG :  Not available at the farmer’s market, instead you can find it at the grocery store, Longs or Costco. POG stands for Passion Orange Guava juice, usually made from concentrate. It was originally created by the old Haleakala Dairy on Maui (no longer in existence) and is now produced by Meadow Gold Dairy. Drink it straight, or mix it with vodka or rum. A favorite of mine is to make mimosas with POG and champagne! 

Where to Buy

Maui’s farmers markets and farm stands are the best places to find the freshest and highest quality fruit on Maui. Notable places include the Maui Tropical Plantation, Upcountry Farmers Market, and fruit stands like Yee’s Orchard in Kihei. These venues often offer fruit picked at peak ripeness with more authentic flavors than supermarket imports

In sum, while there are many delicious fruits native and cultivated on Maui, the Maui Gold pineapple remains the flagship fruit prized for its sweetness and quality, making it the best fruit on Maui in many local and visitor opinions.