This is a beautiful example of one of Yvonne Cheng's paintings of Polynesian women on canvas. It measures 25" x 20".

Yvonne Cheng was born in Surabaya, Indonesia. From an early age she was educated in Dutch schools and privately tutored in art. She has always been drawn to the human figure. In 1967 Cheng moved to Honolulu where she enrolled in a batik class at the Bishop Museum. She used batik as her primary medium from 1970 to the early 1980s. Cheng's compositions are a melding of memories, influences and experiences. Her figures are often large scale and of Polynesian women who are relaxed and are often lounging in comfortable positions. Cheng's figures are layered in fabric decorated with patterns drawn from her extensive research on Hawaiian and Tahitian textile design including the ancient patterns of Hawaiian kapa cloth and the Tahitian pareo. In Cheng's works, clearly marked lines bound large areas of color. Recurring shapes help to unify the various patterns within the garments. Color fascinates Cheng and she is able to represent numerous emotions or moods by combining and layering the washes of acrylic paint. Another detail of interest is that the features of the women are treated loosely, yet an individual spirit appears to inhabit each figure. Over decades, she’s moved through a few different mediums, working with batik, then abstract paper collages and finally settling on acrylics, but she’s remained fascinated with the same subject matter she began with in the ‘70‘s.~ from her Facebook page