latest Releases
HI-ARTS believes every child should have access to the arts. To support this belief, from every purchase you make HI-ARTS donates to the We Make Art Happen art classes at Lahaina Arts Guild, and also to Maui United Way.
The original 1973 full-color manuscript telling the tale of a young boy venturing into a world of complete equality and morality. In the wonderful world of Tell, join Martin and his magical friends for their lyrical and humorous adventures
Hawaiian legends, brilliant art and wild adventure unfold on Maui beaches. Stunning hidden treasures and ancient secrets come alive around the world. Period art, international finance, genetics and political intrigue explode Talk Story style with local Lahaina legends, culture and color.
A humorous and timeless tale of how the best-laid plans of men and horses often take unexpected turns. It is an 1850's California gold country story told by a Sierra Nevada trail hand with four of his expressive sketches recording the remarkable story.
NEW RELEASES COMING SOON
READ A GREAT BOOK AND GIVE A CHILD A CLASS IN ART!
TALK STORY BEACH
BOOK TWO
Paperback and Kindle
THE BEAVER FROM BEAVER CREEK
Children's
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bill Smith is the Executive Director of the Lahaina Arts Society and a Director and Founder of the Lahaina Arts Guild. A former estate planning and business attorney, Bill is a Real Estate Broker licensed in Hawaii and California, certified by the National Association of Realtors as a Military Relocation Professional. He is a veteran, a recipient of the United States Army Achievement Award. He has worked for the United States Tennis Association building tennis programs throughout the Hawaiian Islands. He has played in the U.S. Open and coached the Maui Prep High School Tennis Team.
Bill is an avid writer and artist, having received a BA in Art from Occidental College, emphasizing intaglio printmaking, etching, and lithography. He has written the TALK STORY BEACH series, and he has written and illustrated The LAND OF TELL, GOLDEN HORSESHOES, and other children's books.
MAHALOS
We believe every child should have access to the arts. Art is essential to a well-rounded education and it increases overall academic performance. Art opens the door for children to a wide range of disciplines, it builds character, and it inspires creativity in a host of other fields.
Mahalo (Hawaiian for thank you) to the many people who have contributed to the TALK STORY BEACH adventure and to the other books on this site, and the site itself. A special Mahalo to Beth Cooper for the use of her wonderful block prints, to Diane Appler for her exquisite Olowalu beach painting above, to Jerry Sullivan for all her efforts in the construction of this website, and to Penny Lorenzen for her decades-long persistence with The LAND OF TELL.
And many Mahalos to the members of the Lahaina Arts Society and the Lahaina Arts Guild, all of whom served as inspiration for the many fictional artist characters in the novel, TALK STORY BEACH. A major reason for the TALK STORY BEACH project has been to support the Lahaina Arts Guild children's programs, and also Maui United Way, an organization that helps our community in so many wonderful and diverse ways.
The Lahaina Arts Guild and it's We Make Art Happen program, in partnership with Maui United Way, bring free art education, cultural experiences, supplies and safe venues to our communities. We are currently teaching free children's art classes at low income housing complexes, and classes are taught at public schools and other venues. We work closely with local foundations, and we collaborate with local community schools, churches, law firms and insurance companies, all with the objective of educating and enhancing the lives of our local children.
It used to be that only disadvantaged youth had trouble accessing creative arts through education, but now most schools have eliminated the creative arts altogether. The Lahaina Arts Guild fulfills this critical need in a professional manner. Why? Because art opens the door for children to a wide range of disciplines, it builds character, and it inspires creativity in a host of other fields.
During their successful 30 year history of offering art programs, the Lahaina Arts Guild and Lahaina Arts Society have provided engaging and safe educational art classes that encourage positive self-expression that might otherwise be exhibited through destructive behavior. Per the National Endowment for the Arts, art "has a measurable impact on youth at risk in deterring delinquent behavior and truancy problems while also increasing overall academic performance." We believe that art instruction and exposure is essential to a well-rounded education and it is our mission to fulfill this need for the children of our communities.
THE
HAWAIIAN
LEGACY
FOUNDATION
A special Mahalo to Myrna Kamae, Executive Director of the Hawaiian Legacy Foundation, and to Robin Kamakahi for their kind permission to use the music of Eddie and Dennis, and for the Hawaiian Legacy Foundation's preservation of the cultural heritage of Hawaiʻi through music, film and video.