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UPDATE
idspace is the product of the hard work of many people: Patti Millington and our collaboration on the gallery and on her creation, HI Art Magazine built and amplified the voice which has been idspace; my girlfriend Jamie Stokes created ambiance, arranging food and our life; Jim Rhodes has been there since the beginning always making sure everything happens as it should; Michael Shewmaker contributed art and wisdom; Randy Takaki was a genie in a bottle, released whenever magic was required; my great friend Clayton Amemiya inspired the garden; Shingo Honda, Shizuno Nasu, Dusan Bogdanovic and all of the other great exhibiting artists sustained the effort, bringing the greatest contribution of all to make idspace important to our community - a standard of great art.

Regarding the gallery, we have resolved the concerns of the Planning Department which was very understanding in dismissing the fines it levied, however we are still struggling with requirements of the County Building Department. With generous support from engineer Yen Wen Fang of Engineering Partners in Hilo we continue to try to meet their requirements. Hopefully with more work and effort, we will emerge from this mire sometime next year.

Thanks to everyone.

Ten years ago my friend Michael Chroman wanted a large sculpture for his amazing property perched on the cliffs at Poho’iki. Instead of exchanging money we bartered. While I made art for him, he created a building at the back of my property. I dedicated the building to exhibiting the hidden artists of our island.

I had spent frustrating years involved with East Hawaii’s public art venues, where inflated egos often occupied more space than great art. The one or two legitimate commercial galleries on our island which attempted to show a high standard of art struggled mightily.
 
   
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So idspace began as an idea–offering venue to those who shied away from the savage competition of the Big Island’s private and public venues–a place where a few selected artists could come to create worlds. Randy Takaki and Chris Churchill were the first. For a month the space was haunted by Randy’s “Guardians” and Chris’ gritty self-portraits.

 
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Monika Mann’s snow-blind, white on white exhibition opened our eyes to form shaping emotion. Kaori Ukaji, transformed the empty space into a shrouded cavern, windows and doors coved and covered with endless blank newsprint, damping light and sound. The gallery had been appropriated–consumed by great vision.
 


 
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One artist followed another each transforming the space into unique worlds inhabited for a month. Jeannie Cartabiano turned idspace inside-out, constructing a small inner nautilus nestled within the gallery in which the abstract, too real layers of her private looking-glass world could be experienced discretely.  
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Through subsequent years, astonishing events occurred and amazing people came to conjure light, space, sound and movement. Some marked us and moved on, others became lifelong friends. When Patti Millington constructed digital windows in our wonderland a new partnership was formed and HI Art Magazine emerged.

 
Patti and I created a virtual magazine where the mission of the gallery could expand, amplifying the voice of Hawaii’s art and artists throughout the internet. Writers contributed, as the family which idspace had become, found kindred spirits, each contributing another voice to an emerging choir.
 
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Mike Shewmaker created enormous aluminum sculptures spiring from the rainforest floor to the light above. Dan Hoskins, Meidor Hu, Shingo Honda and many others each rang idspace like a bell, with distinct tone, pitch and timbre.

 
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World class performers, Dusan Bogdanovic, June Millington, Shizuno Nasu and Masami Yurabe vibrated the air with movement and sound.

 
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My wonderful daughter, Bella Freedman wrote and directed a series of hilarious plays for a children’s ensemble.
Ron Smith illuminated the gallery with neon proto signage while Clayton Amemiya reminded us that clay could reach through time, rekindling our culture’s ten thousand year fascination with fire.
 

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When Darrell Orwig projected his painted “slides” on our walls idspace hosted a great soul of Hawaii art. Darrell shaped the character of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center into a preeminent venue in Hawaii. From around the state, curators and art dealers such as Jay Jensen, Alison Wong and Inger Tulley began to pay attention to our events: idspace artists were finally recognized and offered exhibitions around the state.

Without any solicitation at all, the team of people making all this happen continued to spontaneously expand: Jim Rhodes arrived every month to help install. Randy Takaki descended from his mountain, aesthetic guardian to the gallery. Mike Shewmaker shepherded Patti and I to avoid terminal submersion in the enormous gathering force which the gallery and magazine were becoming.
 
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Newly arrived from Japan via New York, Susumu Sakaguchi and Shizuno Nasu combined to open the lens of idspace to an international audience.

Tobias Brill’s naked honesty scratched our walls and ceilings creating a Sistine Chapel for anyone who dared enter.
 

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The erudition of Scott Yoell coupled with the intuition of Margo Ray to signal the emergence of Hawaii into the landscape of contemporary conceptual art.

 
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After five years I finally chose to exhibit at idspace, along with my partner Jamie Stokes and Bella Freedman.

  
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“Faces of Hawaii 2008” was our first attempt at a community event. Four years later a thousand images from all over the islands have passed through Patti’s hands, transformed into a series of books curated by Darrell Orwig, Jay Jensen, Kapulani Landgraf and Pulitzer Prize winner, Craig F. Walker, which document the passage of time in our Hawaiian Islands–our faces and those of our parents, grandparents, and children.

    
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Joe Hampton exited retirement to make sure we were still thinking. His agile mind created trampolines in both the magazine and the gallery, bouncing ideas to great heights, leaving us unsure whether to laugh or curse back. “Bradjo” Hadley raised goose bumps with pidgin poetry under our rainforest canopy.

 
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After years supporting everyone else’s exhibitions, Jim Rhodes finally brought his mnemonics of decades of American confabulation to idspace. Sue Ellen and Marty, always there to help, catered our friend’s chosen moment.

Maybe when Ed Goldstein exhibited his “Tools” it was a harbinger of the end for idspace, as haunting images of utilitarian devices which had outlived their mechanical usefulness but not their resonance within the human mind, defined gray from gray on our walls

 		  
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It was the illustrator of an American century, John Dawson who finally burst beyond what idspace could ever contain. A man whose body of work is emblematic of five decades of popular American iconography drew a hundred and fifty people to our tiny venue. Cars were parked a half mile up the road as people poured in from all walks of life to witness his studio reconstructed within the gallery.
 
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As Violet Murakami peered through a pinhole into her past, Kevin Diminyatz turned a “Blind Curve” with Alan Ohara and Ken and Mary Goodrich projected images onto the night canopy, it was becoming clear that we could no longer manage an entity which had developed a life of its own.

     

 
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Ten years earlier I had longed for a community which passionately cared about art. It had arrived.

Undoing Val Kim’s “spaces between”, we prepared for our coming exhibition, welcoming a truly international caliber artist from Poland, Andrzej Kramarz to our community.

 
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Then an angry person in the neighborhood complained to the Building and Planning Departments of the County of Hawaii that we were running a “commercial gallery” here at idspace. We do not run a commercial gallery and have never made any profit from idspace exhibitions, however I was levied huge fines, and ordered to cease and desist–to close idspace down.

It has been a wonderful experience, but we can neither afford the fines, nor the process of making the changes we’d have to make to continue to host a gallery. 
 
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I would like to thank my great friends Patti Millington, Mike Shewmaker, Clayton Amemiya, Jim Rhodes, Mark Shapiro, Steve Garon and Randy Takaki for being there for all these years, co-creators of all that idspace has been and become.

And remember all the great accompaniment to events prepared by so many of you? In recent years Jamie has orchestrated gourmet cuisine from around the world for our openings, from Paolo’s, Alan Young, Tina’s Garden Snack Club, Miyo and Mineko, Miho, Ema’s Mexican Restaurant, Short and Sweet, Pizza Hawaii, Akmal, and The Oasis.		  
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If in the emotion of the moment I have forgotten to mention any of you who have contributed so generously with art, food, donations or simply your supportive presence, I apologize. But I’d like make sure to thank my family, Monique Ortiz, Bella Freedman and Jamie Stokes for loving me all this time. How could I deserve all of you?

Thanks to all of you who exhibited, helped out and visited, breathing air into the body of idspace and giving this wonderful entity life for all these amazing years!


Stephen Freedman


 
 
 
 
 

responses

 


Dear Steve,
This is distressing news, and I’m so sorry all your hard work has come to this kind of end. My sympathies to you...
Aloha, Jay Jensen
The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu

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My dear friends,
I'm just incredibly sad and can't express in the right words how I feel about such an end to a project that touched so many people and showed so much promise.  I will write more when I can. 
Darrell Orwig
Retired Director of the Schaefer International Gallery at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center

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Aloha Steve,
I am astonished to hear this news and would lobby in support at your request. Please let me know if there is any possibility for tunring back the clock on this decision. What a loss.
Michael Marsall, UH Hilo

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BRAVO STEPHEN!
We celebrate you and all that you continue to bring to the Arts on the islands! Amidst inhale or exhale, you are applauded~
The PCG team - Paia Contemporary Gallery

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Wow! It is fantastic maximum! I love art and artists in a very visceral way as they contribute so much, including one of the great means of self-expression and communicating insight. You made a great contribution here!!

Art and table tennis seem kindred spirits, for the lack of financial flows can make the engagement such a struggle. It takes the extraordinary to accomplish the modest.

I feel very good about knowing you and what you have done!!  -Donn

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Many thanks for this eloquent, beautifully written piece and touching recounting of idspace time Stephen. An incredible evolution in the rainforest that made me sad I'd come to know you all so late. I am honored to be included in your community, to have been part of idspace.

I want to continue to support and help out - what are the fines like? I can't afford a huge amount but maybe all small donations would be helpful? I will go online and make a donation to the magazine at www.hiartmagazine.com.

It is a blow to the community and to the Hawai'i Island artworld to lose a space like this. I hope for only great things ahead for you and Patti, Bella and Jamie.

Mahalo no, Val

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Dear Stephen,

I've just received and read the last idspace message informing me of its closing. Even if I left Hilo Hawai'i more than 5 years ago, it was always with happiness and great pleasure that I received and read idspace news letters, and always with a little sadness to live so far away and not been able to join and visit the openings and the shows.

I remember so vividly you beautiful and genuine place. You, Randy and all the others will always have a special place in my heart. It is with true sadness that I read that it is a good bye newsletter.

I wish you, from the bottom of my heart, to succeed in your projects and new challenges. I warmly want to thank you, and all the others who participate in this fantastic project - the idspace, for this great accomplishment and for all you did for the artists and residents of Hawai'i and for Hawai'i.

I hope to have the chance to visit Hawai'i soon and maybe to have the pleasure to meeting you again!

With much aloha, Hélène

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Stephen,

Thank you and the supporting cast for so many memorable installations. Thank you for supporting artists and giving them a beautiful venue to
showcase their work. Beyond a doubt idspace was an inspiring, cultural and educational gem. It's such a shame that the BI is losing it.

If there is anything, anything at all that can be done to reverse this please don't hesitate to call.

Mahalo for everything, Bob Douglas

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I am so sorry to hear the news...Hope the best for you, Sheldon

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Hey Stephen,
I am really sorry to hear about the closing of idspace...I am truly thankful for all the events that you hosted for the arts community, and grateful for having had the opportunity to exhibit in your amazing space.
May peace descend upon idspace!
Aloha, Ken

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Steve,
Sorry to hear about idspace. You did good.  -Sunder

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Hi Steve,
I'm heartbroken after reading your idspace announcement. You put such an effort supporting the creative community. Selfishly have to admit I looked forward to the next exhibit and of course the socializing. May the closing of this journey open to an equal (or do I dare say) more exciting endeavor.
Anticipating your next adventure.
Sincerely, Trudee

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Hi Steve and Patti,
This is a great lost for artists in our community. idspace has been the only place that was opened to and supportive of artists doing risky and work. What a sad email this is. Thank you for being there all these years. Let me know if we can do anything to rectify this. -Meidor

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I would like to let you all know that The Willis family truly appreciated everything that you offered not only to our daughter Isabella, but to the community. We will all miss being a part of your amazing energy and we wish you all the best in everything that you will go on to do in your lives.
With much love, Jenny and family

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Thank you Stephen,  for a beautiful article that recaptured the past ten years at the wonderful space you created.   And thank you for the opportunity to attend some terrific events in that space, and your fabulous gardens.
much aloha, Cynee Gillette-Wenner

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Dear Steve,
I cannot even believe that idspace has been closed down. It feels personal, even though I have only had the privilege to visit twice. I feel so fortunate to have been able to tour your garden and gallery and to have many beautiful photographs recording those visits...Thank you so much for providing all you have for ten years. 
Aloha, Bryn Berg

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Dear Steve,
On hearing of this through email and the Herald Tribune we are outraged and deeply saddened. Your beautiful home and your contribution to our lives and the Island Art community are invaluable.
We have both written letters of outrage to the Herald Tribune and hopefully there will be many more.
With deep appreciation, Linda Grotkin, Ray Heimroth

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dear jamie,
celeste forwarded to me your email about idspace. Roger and I are in a state of shock about it...idspace added class and a sense of limitless possibility.. we support you and steve in all your endeavors and hold you in our hearts.
aloha, laura and roger moses

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Hi Stephen,
Sorry to hear about the trouble...What a shame.  aloha, Martina

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...This is an outrage. I feel helpless as many others must feel as well...  -Randolph McCreight

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SO sorry to read these lines. We are loosing a BIG part of our artistic expression. Good luck with everything coming your way.Thank you SO much for all the beautiful work, for all these years.
Mahalo nui loa and Aloha, Jo Caron

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This is so sad...Mahlos to idspace for the years you provided the space. You were well appreciated by everyone that knew of your beautiful place. You are to be remembered for this awesome endeavor.
Mahalo, Gail Pyburn (1st and 2nd Hi art face contest)

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Aloha Stephen,
A big mahalo for doing what you have done these past years in providing inspiration to the artists and community at large. Please come and have a walk through our garden to enjoy and nurture your creative spirit. We wish you the best.
With Aloha, Eva and Chiu

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...........Simply tragic........and great loss... I'm so sorry. I think "goodbye for now", not goodbye.
Much Aloha, Codie King, Wailoa Center, Hilo

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Dear Steve et al,
So very sorry to hear of this trouble.  Such a lovely place to come and visit and such a labor of love it has been from you and your household.  Will miss these gatherings but so very much hope you can continue to feel energized and fed by HI Art Magazine.  Obviously the magazine is also a labor of love.  Thank you for your invitations to these exhibits at your home.  I have been very honored to have been included in invitations to these shows.  If you are accepting any donations to help offset the cost of the fines, I could contribute a little to help with that. Blessings on you all.  Fine work:) 
Best thoughts, Diana

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I'm sorry to hear of the passing of idspace. I had heard about you from my friend Amaury St Gilles, and hoped to be able to exhibit with you one day... a space that so clearly was loved by many in the community - after all, gathering the community together is a big part of what Art can do! Maybe some "mystery" exhibits - large or small - can spring up here and there around the island! The thought gives me ideas!
Thanks, Beth Changstrom

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aloha steve...i am so sorry to read of your ousting...it is my misfortune that i never got there!
we have so few venues on island and especially here on the west side. the magazine is an eye on
what's going on artwise...hang in there! -sue mailander of kona

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Sorry about the demise of ID Space sounds like you had a pretty good run.  -Michael

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omg how sad. so typical, very sad  -Rob Shapiro

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Patti,
We are stunned and without words. How on earth could this happen? ...And, we are being totally selfish. We both feel like idspace is a special part of us and had hoped for another show or event or project together in the future. The two of us were looking forward to seeing more shows at the great space and being on the spectacular property. Sometimes change is a bitch and so very sad...We will still have Hi Art Magazine to look forward to, right? Please write when you have a chance and let us know how you are doing.
Sad and aggravated in Hilo, Kathie and John Dawson

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I am so sad to read that this wonderful, magical place where one could find such inspiration and beauty will no longer be able to welcome us back again. How sad for you - to see your dream so completely fulfilled only to see it abruptly come to an end as well. And, selfishly, how sad for us - where can we go to nourish our sense of esthetic? What will happen to you? And, what will happen to us? This can't be true.

Are there any that can continue your dream in another space? You are so right about the commercial galleries. Your space was so personal, those who came were somehow connected - we were not strangers. Your space and the art was such a refuge. Can't we continue somewhere? What does it take? But, another place will never have your gardens, your little gallery lit up in the dark, and the wonderful sense of being safe among friends.

Please let us know if we can do anything - anything at all - to help in any way. I am very very sad.
With much appreciation and aloha, Elisabeth

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WAH!

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Aloha Stephen & Patti,
Sorry to hear of the current plan to end the idspace happenings...perhaps the art community will be able to come to yourassistance & keep you folks afloat. Meanwhile, grateful that you're still online with the mag...there are free ways to autopost to twitter (socialoomph.com) and hope to see more of you folks in the social media/YouTube venues....will RT & share/like where it's possible.
Many blessings, warm aloha, big hugs! -A. Smith

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So, so sorry to hear....
thank you for all, it has been lovely with such an alternative venue.....setting..... hosts..... Fia

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Oh No Stephen!
I am so sorry to see your place go. Hawaii so needed your commitment to the arts.
That being said, I totally understand how tough it must be to try to survive in that environment. IMHO the people of Hawaii totally undervalue the visual arts. Being an artist in NYC is very tough, and there is way more of an accepted perception of the value of the arts here.
idspace has held a very special place for me. The bravery and beauty of the place with be with me forever. It will be missed.
Hope you are well otherwise, Charles Yuen

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Dear Steve,
Sorry to hear the sad news about idspace. I'm on the mainland tending to family business, but I'll be home soon. Anything that can be done?
Much aloha, K.T. Cannon-Eger

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*#+%!...no wayyyy.
I am so sorry Steve, anything I can do to help you at this unfortunate time, please let me know. Man this really sucks...Im really sorry, but I know this is only a glitch, you are way to huge of a force and have so much to offer.
always indebted, Kevin

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Its a sad day for the arts.... -Mimi

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Sorry about loosing the gallery :) I know how much you wanted the connected art community in Hawaii, you did amazing things and made it happen. I wish I had been there during the time things were thriving.  -Buck

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It was with great sadness that I read of the closing of Id space. I only attended 3 openings there, --but it was a true treasure, & a fabulous effort that was extremely successful. I hope that the HIArt newsletter continues, as I read each issue "cover to cover"--- it is a wonderful source of what's happening in art for us Hawaii artists.
 
Please stop into One Gallery at 128 Kilauea. Just up from the farmers market. Our mission to function as a commercial gallery by & for artists. It isn't as sophisticated as Id space, & we do carry little gift items... We have only been open since January, and it has been a very slow process of getting art of substantial quality, but that is one of our major goals. We have to planting & keep weeding.. it's truly like a garden.
...One Gallery is an artists collective, owned & operated primarily by Deborah Beaver, Eva Anderson, & Amy Markham. It'd  be wonderful if any of you came in to check us out & shared your insight & feedback.
a hui hou, & mahalo for your idspace experience....... Amy Markham

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Dear Stephen,
We met via UH with Suzanne Wolfe a number of years ago. My name then was Gail Bakutis. I since moved to Maui and am Arabella Ark.
I am shocked and saddened to hear your calamitous story... I find the county and state regulations insane and discriminatory. I have also never before (i've lived in Hawaii for 40 years) heard that an artist cannot make and show and sell his own work on his own land.
I am sorry you have closed. It is a wrongful situation. I send this info in sympathy and dismay.
Aloha, Arabella

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I just read your story…how very very sad the story is….The exhibits look wonderful. Hopefully something new will pop up for you. Thank you for Hawaii arts magazine.
Art and artists always have struggled through the ages and this is probably no different. I have devoted my life to the arts on Kauai and am about burned out. I hope to meet you on the big island at the opening of the Faces of Hawaii show.
-Carol Ann Davis

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Mahalo nui loa for all your hard work and dedication to our art world! -Rita Coury

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Steven, thank you for having made it happen for those halcyon few years.  Much aloha in those times and much aloha to you now.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                   A.

 

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