Kai'ili Kaulukukui

Studio daze. #hawaii #art (at Keaau, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1M55PHjBIX/?igshid=115if1t5aerpg

Jamming on some color studies for a couple upcoming pieces. #hawaii #art (at Keaau, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1KwsbdDQJG/?igshid=21uv8p17mgdi

Jamming on some color studies for a couple upcoming pieces. #hawaii #art (at Keaau, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1KwsbdDQJG/?igshid=21uv8p17mgdi

#watercolor #art #Hawaii #wip (at Keaau, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1CiWeGjYTO/?igshid=1xs3vnqizktoa

#watercolor #art #hawaii (at Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0wcf2zj1oE/?igshid=1ez3thwbppcud

Kū Kia’i Mauna. ✊🏽 (at Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ByfZRDWpX/?igshid=1ms32d1qyhk66

“Hōkū Mu’ā.” Kalapana, 2019. #hawaii #art (at Kalapana, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzEUZ77DKG7/?igshid=1kpxb2381vycj

Come on over tomorrow to @lanalanestudios for the chance to get some @powwowworldwide gear! And check out some fresh, new contemporary artwork happening here in Hawaii! #art #hawaii (at Lana Lane Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzB0LbHju9C/?igshid=1jwq8p73omems

Final shot of ‘Puna Strong,’ my new mural in collaboration with Pāhoa High & Intermediate School students. This is the final piece in our #ActivatePuna art series, made possible by @ashley4puna and the County of Hawai’i 💪🏾 . The concept for this piece is based on ideas from 200+ art students at PHIS, who were asked to describe what ‘aloha, kōkua, ahupua’a and resilience’ means to them since the 2018 eruptions, and how they see these concepts represented visually. . The triangle composition represents strength, as well as Mauna Kea which dominates our Big Island landscape. Within the triangle, two ‘ōhi’a lehua grow out of shallow, rocky soil - a true image of resilience. The ‘water heart’ roots reference kalo, the lifeline of Kanaka Maoli. The many animals and plants affected by the eruptions are represented near the bottom, mauka to makai, where the students assisted in painting throughout the week. Mahalo nui to @takamineconstructioninc, Angie, Kim, Ro Jane and the many PHIS students who made this mural possible. Photo & interactive performance piece by @andrewrichardhara 😆 #templechildren #activatepuna #activatebigisland #artworkofkai (at Pahoa High & Intermediate School) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxk7kGZD7fo/?igshid=u9xoj20i1vbl

Final shot of ‘Puna Strong,’ my new mural in collaboration with Pāhoa High & Intermediate School students. This is the final piece in our #ActivatePuna art series, made possible by @ashley4puna and the County of Hawai’i 💪🏾 . The concept for this piece is based on ideas from 200+ art students at PHIS, who were asked to describe what ‘aloha, kōkua, ahupua’a and resilience’ means to them since the 2018 eruptions, and how they see these concepts represented visually. . The triangle composition represents strength, as well as Mauna Kea which dominates our Big Island landscape. Within the triangle, two ‘ōhi’a lehua grow out of shallow, rocky soil - a true image of resilience. The ‘water heart’ roots reference kalo, the lifeline of Kanaka Maoli. The many animals and plants affected by the eruptions are represented near the bottom, mauka to makai, where the students assisted in painting throughout the week. Mahalo nui to @takamineconstructioninc, Angie, Kim, Ro Jane and the many PHIS students who made this mural possible. Photo & interactive performance piece by @andrewrichardhara 😆 #templechildren #activatepuna #activatebigisland #artworkofkai (at Pahoa High & Intermediate School) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxk7QvwjSEn/?igshid=1i5b5il35xvwo

Even with the internet at my fingertips, I loves me my books! Sketching for an upcoming project at Pāhoa High and Intermediate School with the students and @templechildren! #procreate #books (at Pahoa High & Intermediate School) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8lHucBZej/?igshid=qrpwfz7djyjf

“Mononoke Nightmare: Down Babylon” I painted this piece for the @powwowworldwide and @spoke_art show at Alamoana two months ago. I watched several Miyazaki movies to try and find inspiration, and ended up having nightmares based on my favorite one of his films Princess Mononoke. In my dream I was watching the destruction of Honolulu by a beast who has been filled with death and whose suffering has been forced upon him by the city that should have nurtured him but ended up polluted him. #Hawaii #art #watercolor #painting (at Honolulu, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwVWJkBB3pX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18yw3qubvzl86

“Isla Mujeres Whale Shark” prints are now available in my website shop, and at Honolulu Beerworks. I started this painting five years ago after my first project with @pangeaseed and my first time swimming with these magnificent animals! Staring in to the eyes of these giants as they swam by looking for krill to eat was an otherworldly experience for me and one that has continued to inspire me until today. #hawaii #art #watercolor #painting (at Isla Mujeres) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwP2W93BVTw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=62a23vx9pz0

“Lawai’a” @powwowworldwide I was taught that family lineage is stacked upon our po’o (head) like a totem pole of relatives who came before us. That the genetic memories of our ancestors are stored above our heads and within us, within every fabric of our being, and the knowledge and skills of those who came before are also there for us to draw upon. We can use the lessons of everyone who comes before us, to help make difficult decisions in life, but only if we listen. Based on these stories I have been creating images of people engaged in activities and the physical representation of these mouth less ancestors watching and listening, guiding and helping but unable to actually speak to us. My mural “Lawai’a,” is a fisherman throwing net. His ancestors, fishing and sailing tools, sharks, shells, corals and other life forms are swimming around his po’o as a way to represent their influence on our actions. The fisherman has cast his throw net and the figures above him are pulling and pushing the net to maximize his catch, as the figure at the top is spotting the final placement of the net and actualizing the fish to be caught. The shape of the net combined with the compositions of the shells and people figures creates the face of the first ancestor, the one who connects us all. // Supported by @hawaiihta @montanacans @montanacans_usa @hawaiianairlines  @alohilaniresort @47 @citymill @monsterenergy @heineken_us @thinkspace_art @ourkakaako @wardvillage @olukai // #powwowhawaii #powwowworldwide #geneticmemory #hawaiian #art (at Fisher Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buhv5pAhmVR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1w9ptu9e5hkpm

Love this video by the homie @cory.s.martin and the jam by @runthejewels #Repost @powwowworldwide with @get_repost ・・・ The faces of #powwowhawaii 2019 featuring @caratoes, @apexer, @klyonsnatborn, @amysol, @artofjaque, @aarondelacruz, @superdeux, @roamcouch, @artworkofkai, @reederone, @garydrawsfish, @jacksoren, @og_slick, @mike_pyro, @obeygiant, @squid.licker, @negiyakisoba, @woes, @loganhicksny, @zepha1, @mayonaize, and @kapache1. // Video by @cory.s.martin. • // Supported by @hawaiihta @montanacans @montanacans_usa @hawaiianairlines @alohilaniresort @47 @citymill @monsterenergy @heineken_us @thinkspace_art @ourkakaako @wardvillage @olukai // #powwowhawaii #powwowworldwide (at Lana Lane Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUGUNth-3K/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18xvfq5m0kldz