Through the medium of oil paints, Bernard de Veas has been revealing the lush natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands for the past forty years.
Born and raised in Hawaii, many of his formative years were spent in Kailua, on the island of Oahu. His affinity for the natural beauty of the windward side is readily apparent in a number of his paintings.
After graduating from Kailua High School, Bernard's artistic abilities were noted with a scholarship to the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Among his instructors were Joseph Feher, Louis Pohl, John Young, Lloyd Sexton, and Willson Y. Stamper. A Ford Foundation scholarship made possible further study at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Following his return to Hawaii, Bernard restored paintings for several years with Willson Y. Stamper in his studio. During that time he worked on paintings of notable artists such as Lionel Walden and D. Howard Hitchcock, gaining invaluable experience as well as a deep and abiding appreciation for art from the late 19th and early 20th century.
To this day, Bernard continues to capture the essence of modern Hawaii while infusing it with the flavor of the islands' rich artistic heritage.
Some collectors of his paintings are former Hawaii legislator Howard Miyaki, actor Brian Keith, businessman Samuel Cooke, restaurateur Kenny Kaneshiro, interior designer Charles Heen, and businessman Warren Ackerman.
Besides his love for painting scenes of Hawaii, Bernard has been commissioned to paint a considerable number of portraits, which reflect his sensitivity to an individual's personality and impression of who they are. He was commissioned by the Queen Kapiolani Hotel to paint portraits of Hawaii's former royalty, including a 4' x 6' painting of a luau scene featuring Queen Kapiolani herself at a table with guests including American author Robert Louis Stevenson.
Several of Bernard's finest works are now available in the form of high quality giclée reproductions on canvas, double-matted photo prints, and greeting cards, here at paintingsbydeveas.com.
We invite you to visit the gallery!