Preservation through Paint

Herb Kawainui Kane was raised on the Big Island of Hawai`i and in Wisconsin. After graduating with a masters in art at the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago and having a successful job as a graphic designer in Chicago for fourteen years, Kane decided to move back home to Hawai`i to become what he always wanted to be, which is a painter of the Hawaiian culture and history. He believes, “I'm different than artists today who want to express their personalities. I want to express the personality of the subject.” Despite what he feels or what he does in his paintings, I don't think it is possible for an artist not to include his own character in his paintings.
Kane has made huge contributions to the Hawaiian community. He not only designed the Hokule`a in 1986, but he was the first captain of it and sailed it all the way to Tahiti and back using just the stars as navigation. This proved that the Hawaiians were not just lucky to come across this island, but they were skilled. Because of this achievement, Hawaiians everywhere were impacted. They became proud of who they were and wanted to learn more about their ancestors and history. Kane only did this for that reason, because he cares about the Hawaiians and wants to make sure they have their impact on history. After this, Kane decides to continue his preservation of Hawaiian history and culture through paint.
Kane is known for his realistic artwork that depicts the Hawaiians very detailed and truthfully. In the painting of the event of Captain Cook's death, Kane went to the area where it was recorded Captain Cook died and studied it carefully. He read accounts of the incident from Cook's crewmens' journals to get an accurate view of who killed him and where. Besides all of that, Kane looked at the tide charts and went all the way back to that exact time and day in the 1700s to find out how high the tide was at that moment. He put so much detail and truth in not only this painting, but all of his paintings. When looking up the history of Kane's paintings, Kane is revealed as a dedicated man who cares about his culture and I think this is depicted in his paintings.
With that in mind, although Kane says he doesn't attempt to put his character into his paintings, I think it is apparent that he does. Only someone who really cares would put that much work and detail into it. Even trying to put yourself into the subject's shoes is putting a little of yourself into the painting because you are the subject. His choices of what to paint, which is about Hawaiian history and culture, shows that he is a Hawaiian preserving his culture, which is a depiction of his character. Being a Hawaiian probably affected his choices in life, but they are for the better for the Hawaiian society. Kane is a very hardworking and honest painter and that is depicted in his paintings.

Prompts:
Do you agree with Kāne’s beliefs that the essence of the subject is more important than the artist’s personality being portrayed in his/her artwork?
Despite what Kāne says about only portraying the subject’s personality, do you think his feelings and character was expressed in his paintings or the way he does his paintings?
How do you think being raised in Hawai`i and being a Hawaiian affected Kāne’s decision to become a painter and historian of Hawaiian culture and history?