I first found out about DECO clay flowers many years ago after taking a demo/discovery class at…read moreNeiman Marcus. After that experience and seeing the beauty of a clay flower - I was HOOKED!! Clay flower? What? That's exactly what I expressed before seeing it. I initially thought it would be reminiscent of my elementary school art work with play dough clay but au contraire it ''twas not. Seeing is believing and I couldn't believe anyone could actually craft such a delicate flower with clay! I never took any classes further than the demo/discovery class but I was head over heels with their products. So much so that I had ordered my bridal bouquet as well as floral hair picks and corsages for my bridal party as a keepsake of that day. Each flower was exquisitely HAND MADE and put together without a hitch (pardon the pun) for my big day. Unfortunately here on Oahu there are not many options to preserve your fresh flowers (if you decide you want to do that) and using fake silk flowers for our wedding was not an option I wanted to entertain. The unique bouquet made for me is something I can treasure and hand down to one or both of my daughters for their wedding. Who says you can't have peonies in August? Forget the fact that peonies are out of season that time of the year but if you're insisting on that particular flower forget about it unless you decide you want a timeless floral pick made from clay. That's exactly what I wanted but since my options were nil, deciding on a clay bouquet was an easy decision. And uh...no, it wasn't heavy at all!! In fact, it's lightweight in comparison to any real bouquet you could ever have. Ordering a bouquet, corsage, wristlet, haku lei or pretty much anything you could ever use a flower for was easy, fast and delightful! You pick the flowers, colors, size and look you want for your piece(s) and the staff will get back with you promptly with a price. It is a bit expensive but it was something I did not make a fuss about since the flowers are truly beautiful and the effort to craft each flower - petal by petal is not an easy task. I don't remember how long it took them to make my bouquet nor to finish my order of floral picks and corsages but I do know that there wasn't any problem with their quotation of time of delivery. I was called immediately after my flowers were crafted and completed. Fast forward almost five years and I'm back at DECO clay inquiring about placing another order for flowers. Again the ordering process is quite easy and this time, instead of placing an "actual" order, I'm going to take refresher class and make the flowers instead. The gardenia flower is perhaps the easiest and simplest flower to make and I'm going to attempt to complete 100 pieces in two months time. This location on Pohukaina Street is a lot easier to access as compared to their previous location on Kapahulu Avenue. Parking is easy and plentiful. They have been at this location since 2012 which makes my DECO Clay experience even better because of the location. There are member classes available to those who aspire to make the beautiful flowers pictured but I'm told there are levels to complete and hours put in to create those floral pieces. Membership is a one time annual fee of $50.00 and member classes are discounted to only $40.00 each. Classes area held on a weekly basis and are available by inquiring and signing up for the class.

This was a lot of fun. I don't take very many craft courses but consider myself creative. However,…read moreyou don't need to know anything to take the class. I was also visiting from LA, so you don't even need to be a local. There were a range of students there so the instructor teaches you individually based on your project. It was a two hour class and I made 3 flowers. If I lived here, I would definitely take more classes. Note: you need to book ahead since they have limited availability. I got in because someone canceled. I made the plumeria, gardens and hibiscus below. Wish I could take classes back home.

Make sure you don't miss the Old Jail Gallery at the Lahaina Arts Society. Its downstairs and a…read moremust see. Really nice art and Artists to meet and talk story with. Just being in the space is a fun history lesson as well.

Also called the Banyan Tree Gallery is spread over 2 floors of the Old Lahaina Courthouse. We stuck…read moreour heads around the door for a quick peek and stayed nearly 2 hours. There are some stunning pieces and all made by local artists who fund this gallery through a co-operative. It was a tough choice but I went home with 2 plates by Bob Hoenig and a pendant by Kai Pua. Andre, the Art Consultant, was very knowledgeable and generous with his time. Downstairs, in the jail house gallery, Amanda welcomed us and we left as friends. You must also check out Johanna's lei's - meticulously crafted out of ribbon. This is a dangerous place for your wallet, but you'll leave with a warm glow and great memories as well as a little piece of authentic Maui.

Darice is such a kind and fun art teacher. My family decided to try to pineapple paintings. Darice…read moreguided up for the two hours and then some, was super patient and motivating, and even brought us water on a warm Hawaiian day. Our paintings came out super fun and beautiful! We gave them to our mom for Mother's Day and she loved them. Darice also let us use her good quality paints and fun powders/glitters! We would definitely go back to try painting other beautiful Hawaiian themed works of art.

Aloha... Looking for the perfect souvenir of your maui vacation - try creating your own! In one 3…read morehour lesson with Darice at art-e-studio in Lahaina I had a beautiful masterpiece to take home.... In fact it was so much fun I decided to make two paintings! Darice is a very gifted artist and a patient teacher - I would highly recommend doing this on your next Maui vacation! She also gives lessons to kids

Hana was a great instructor to my daughter. Patient, encouraging, friendly and fun. They provided a…read moresurfboard, shoes and rash guard shirt for the lesson. While my daughter went surfing, my other kids went snorkeling at the same public beach. Good time had by all.

I took a private lesson with Chad an had an absolutely wonderful time. Chad was easy going,…read moreinformative, and encouraging, guiding me on my board in the water and setting me up for success. After standing up a few times, but feeling fatigue from paddling, he encouraged me further and I got up a few more times again! Definitely recommended for newbies and beginner. Thank you Chad!

She was very knowledgeable and she found where the bees were entering our house She then gave a…read moremarvelous solution and of this week we haven't seen a single bee in our house

This is one of the best farm tours ever!! It is a must if you are visiting the Big Island! We went…read moreto this beautiful Bee Farm today and fell in love with Susan and her bees!! Susan shared so much bee knowledge with us, we learned so so much and now we are in more awe with bees than ever. One of the miracles of nature! We had a hands on tour! It was so much more than we expected. The honey was delicious, we also munched on the honey comb that Susan took out from the beehive. Amazing!!! We wore the complete suit and never ever worried about being stung! Susan uses bear hands to handle the bees! We loved loved loved this tour and we will always thank Susan for this valued experience!!!!

PDI has been a huge part of our lives fir years. They have been extraordinary in their ability to…read morework with my daughter over the many years she has attended. Classes are consistent, and prices are fair. I love the fact that despite being in a very rural community we have PDI level of instruction and availability, consider us, "lifers!!"

From the owner: Prince Dance Institute teaches excellence in the performing arts. A community hub where students…read morenot only learn technique but make create foundations for collaboration, creativity, and communication that will last a lifetime.