Thousands of travelers pass through Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport every day, but few may realize the vibrant mural in Lobby Four welcoming them was created by a recent University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� graduate balancing double majors, cheerleading and a dream project years in the making.

Just weeks after graduating with degrees in and , (CALL) graduate Rachel Radona is already leaving her mark on �鶹��ý through a large-scale mural installation celebrating aloha, community and island life.

“It was definitely an ‘oh my gosh’ moment,” Radona said. “This is crazy.”

The opportunity came after Radona completed one of her early mural projects at the UH Federal Credit Union branch in Kapolei. Soon after, she received a call about a possible airport mural project from people who had been following her work.

Although several artists were considered through a selective process, Radona’s vision stood out. Her mural centers around plumeria flowers, symbolizing �鶹��ý’s welcoming spirit and lei-giving tradition.

“The whole lobby theme was about flowers and aloha,” she said. “People associate plumeria with giving and receiving lei, and that’s what the airport is all about.”

Aloha through art

Known for her graffiti-style art, Radona adapted her style to fit the project’s vibrant Hawaiian aesthetic while still bringing her own creative vision to life.

“I really wanted to embrace the feeling of getting a fresh lei,” she said. “The flowers are just so bright, and you can vividly smell everything and feel all of the aloha and mālama (care) that was put into making it.”

While completing the mural, Radona balanced the project alongside two majors and UH ����ԴDz� cheerleading. Still, she said the experience never felt like work.

“It honestly wasn’t that challenging when you love what you’re doing,” she said.

Now, as thousands of travelers pass through the airport, Radona hopes the mural reminds people that �鶹��ý’s true beauty comes from its people.

— by Willow Hutchison

Windward Community College Professor of Art and Gallery ʻIolani Director Kapulani Landgraf has been named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow. Landgraf is one of just 223 distinguished individuals selected from a highly competitive pool of nearly 5,000 applicants for this honor.

The fellowship will support Landgraf’s project, What Was Taken, What Remains, a body of work confronting colonial histories and reasserting Hawaiian visual sovereignty. Through archival research, photographic interventions, collage and the integration of ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) and moʻolelo (stories), the project reframes dominant narratives to restore voices to histories long obscured.

‘On our own terms’

“My work has always been about accountability—of images, of histories, and of the ways they are constructed and carried forward,” Landgraf said. “This fellowship supports the continuation of that work, but it also underscores its urgency. What has been taken cannot remain unexamined, and what remains must be made visible on our own terms.”

Widely recognized for her multimedia installations and photography exploring ʻāina (land) and the impacts of colonialism, Landgraf positions the camera as both a witness and an intervention. At Windward CC, she has transformed Gallery ʻIolani into a space centered on �鶹��ý-based artists and cultural continuity. She is also the author of multiple monographs, including Nā Wahi Pana O Koʻolau Poko and Nā Wahi Kapu O Maui, which extend her explorations of ʻāina, moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy), and resistance.

Established in 1925, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation provides monetary stipends allowing scholars and artists to pursue independent work under “the freest possible conditions.” The Foundation has granted nearly $450 million to more than 19,000 Fellows, an elite group that includes Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and cultural icons.

Students from Leeward Community College are showcasing their work in the Honolulu Printmakers’ 98th Annual Exhibition at the (DAC) in Honolulu.

A highlight of the exhibition is “Approximation”—a large-scale collaborative installation created by students in Assistant Professor Erika Molyneux’s digital printmaking class.

The piece draws visitors into the gallery with its dynamic arrangement of 60 individual prints and recently earned a $300 award sponsored by Hawaiian Graphics and Art Source & Designs Custom Framing and Gallery.

In the course, students design imagery digitally before translating their work into physical matrices for hand printing.

For this project, students explored letterforms as visual art, inspired by movements such as Futurism and Dada. They then assembled the individual works into a unified composition resembling a tilde (~), a symbol often used to indicate approximation and the inspiration behind the project’s title.

“I wanted students to think about typography in a more experimental way—how letterforms can move, interact and create meaning beyond language,” Molyneux said. “The final installation reflects their creativity and willingness to take risks.”

Student artists included Eric Blazek, Julian Calzo, Ronald Carnate, Meagan Dean, Karlie Godfrey, Rashad Maynard, Mia Park, Dominika Pope, Hayley Teehera and Mia Yonashiro.

Printmaking on campus

Leeward CC’s presence in the exhibition also highlights growing opportunities in printmaking on campus.

In addition to the installation, students Spencer Miller and Lis Perola Pivotto contributed collagraph prints that demonstrate experimentation with materials and process.

A newly renovated printmaking studio—made possible through the efforts of multiple faculty and staff—supports this work. Helena Noordhoff, who is a printmaking instructor, manages the studio and helps expand hands-on learning opportunities for students.

“The studio is really about giving students space to explore, experiment and learn through making,” Noordhoff said. “It’s exciting to see that energy reflected in the work being shown here.”

The exhibition is on view at the DAC on Nuuanu Avenue through April 25. Additional details and gallery hours are available on the .

A Leeward Community College alumna who goes by Sasha is reconnecting with her roots through art, and shared a personal body of work at Cafe in April.

Sasha, who earned an associate in arts in liberal arts with a focus on art and art history in 2017, said her time at Leeward CC helped shape both her creative direction and career. From hands-on class projects to a study abroad trip in France, she was exposed to different perspectives that continue to influence her work today.

“Through attending Leeward, doing many different projects in art classes, going on a study abroad trip to France with my classmates, I had so many opportunities to see and feel culture and art,” Sasha said. “Everything I learned has turned into my skill and profession.”

After graduating, Sasha went straight into the workforce and now balances several roles, including work as a TV personality and collaborations with travel media focused on Japan. She also promotes �鶹��ý-based small businesses and continues to build her presence as an artist. Her Instagram account , which has nearly 38,000 followers, shares a mix of her artwork, travel experiences and everyday life in �鶹��ý, connecting with a local audience as well as those interested in island culture.

����������� ʻ�徱�Բ�

Her art exhibit, centered on the theme mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (caring for the land), drew from her upbringing and her growing understanding of �鶹��ý’s history and values.

“This really reflects the perspective and environment I grew up in,” she said. “The process of myself growing up and learning the history of �鶹��ý… came from my childhood and attending Leeward.”

Sasha also credited her professors and early opportunities at Leeward CC—such as painting murals in the campus theater—with giving her the foundation to take on larger creative projects.

“I hope my art can inspire people in many different ways of thinking about how important mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� is,” she said, “and your education can definitely benefit you in the future.”

Several works by University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� students and alumni are now on view at Capitol Modern: the �鶹��ý State Art Museum in downtown Honolulu. Two portrait exhibits, Contemporary Portraiture: Art in Public Places and Schaefer Portrait Challenge, are open through July 4. Admission is free.

Contemporary Portraiture: Art in Public Places

Two pieces in Contemporary Portraiture were purchased from UH ����ԴDz�’s 2024 Master of Fine Arts (MFA) thesis show, Still Standing.

• Erik Sullivan, MFA, 2024—Can’t See the Forest through the Trees (oil on panel)
• Mari Matsuda, juris doctor and MFA, 2024—E Aloha E (woodcut print)

More UH alumni in Contemporary Portraiture:

• Kelly Ciurej, MFA, 2017
• Carol Yotsuda
• PF Bentley, bachelor of education, 1975
• ��ōʻ��� Mana (collective practitioners)
• Anne Au, master of arts Hawaiian studies, bachelor of science fashion design and merchandising, 2023/2018

The works in Contemporary Portraiture are part of the Art in Public Places Collection of the �鶹��ý State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, a long-standing program that places art in public buildings to broaden access for everyone.

Schaefer Portrait Challenge

The Schaefer Portrait Challenge, a traveling exhibition organized by the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, also features UH alumni:

• Arnold Bornios, BFA painting, 1998
• Jodie Chock, BFA painting, 2013
• Eduardo Joaquin, BFA painting, 2023
• Lynn Weiler Liverton, MFA sculpture
• Challys Pascual, BA studio art, 2024
• Joyce Schaunaman, master’s in interdisciplinary education

Capitol Modern is at 250 South Hotel Street and is open Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., with extended evening hours during select first and third Friday events.

Leeward Community College’s is currently hosting a monumental and deeply resonant piece of artwork: ʻUmeke ����ʻ����: Culture Medicine. The installation, which had been on display earlier this year at Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale, was unveiled at Waiʻanae Moku in November at a community welcome event.

Part of the �鶹��ý Triennial 2025: Aloha Nō, ʻUmeke ����ʻ���� is a massive 22-foot-wide, eight-foot-tall installation created by artist Meleanna Aluli Meyer, in collaboration with ‘Team ʻUmeke’: Honolulu Community College carpentry students, UH ����ԴDz� art faculty and students, and community kokua (help). The work reimagines the traditional ʻumeke—a wooden calabash bowl used for nourishment, water and sacred offerings—as a space for reflection, healing, repair and connection.

ʻUmeke ����ʻ���� will be on display at Waiʻanae Moku before moving on to Maui in January 2026. Hours are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.–8 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. . Meleanna invites guests to “Come home to Hawaiian culture through the arts.”

Shared mission

“Hosting the ʻUmeke in Waiʻanae Moku is an honor,” said Danny Wyatt, Waiʻanae Moku coordinator. “It reflects our shared mission to perpetuate Hawaiian culture and to make art meaningful and accessible to our ʻohana (family) across the islands.”

The installation embodies the values of ����ʻ����, or plant medicine, and features the voices of more than 38,000 signers of the 1897 ��ūʻŧ Petitions, opposing �鶹��ý‘s annexation by the U.S.

The Waiʻanae Kupuna Council, an influential community group, and Waiʻanae Moku invited the installation because of its deep ties to Native Hawaiian communities and its alignment with the campus’s commitment to expanding access to higher education and serving as a vital hub for cultural learning.

The ’s first-ever Insect Art Show, presented with Honolulu Printmakers, celebrated the insect world’s powerful role in art. More than 50 pieces from local artists are being shown in downtown Honolulu, drawing a packed crowd from the arts, science and community members curious about insects.

“We were all stunned, in a good way, by the number of people who came out for the first day,” said event organizer Sandra Schachat from the insect museum, which is part of the (CTAHR). “Our goal is to create opportunities for the general public to connect on a more emotional level with insect biodiversity. They can feel hopeful about conserving insects across the planet, and especially here in �鶹��ý.”

A rich mix of art mediums is on display, including oil paintings, watercolors, mezzotint (monochrome printmaking process) etchings and intaglio linework on metal plates, and risography (digital screen printing). Public response to the art has been strong, with risography, an eco-friendly fine art printmaking technique with vegetable dyes, attracting many admirers. The first piece sold at the show was a risograph Koa Bug by �鶹��ý Island artist Devyn Park from Pencil Urchin Press.

This art show is open to the public at Honolulu Printmakers through December 5. It’s the latest in a series of the Insect Museum’s community events, following the successful family event held over the summer.

The museum will continue its outreach with an open house in December during the Pacific Entomology and Botany Meeting, to welcome scientists from all over the Pacific into the UH Insect Museum.

The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life.
—King James Mangoba ()

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Hamilton Library’s and the Center for Philippine Studies at the UH ����ԴDz� opened , an exhibition linking 1500s colonial maps with tattoos as living archives of Filipino cultural memory, on view through February 2026.

Opening events, held October 15–17, drew more than 100 participants for workshops, talks and live tattoo demonstrations. Attendees explored how Filipinos have used body art and the written word to resist erasure—from rare 16th-century maps and letters from the Philippine Revolution to underground newspapers from the Marcos era, all part of Hamilton’s Philippine Collection.

Mapping identity through body and archive

Philippine Studies Librarian Elena Clariza opened the program with a presentation on early colonial maps, connecting “fragile maps on paper with living maps of the body—tattoos as archives of ancestral knowledge and cultural memory.”

Guest artists from California’s Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop and members of Tatak ng Apat na Alon (Mark of the Four Waves) demonstrated traditional hand poke and tapping tattoo techniques, sharing their nearly 30-year effort to revive Indigenous Filipino tattoo practices.

“In the beginning it was just for us to find our identity, to represent the culture in some way,” said Elle Festin, tattoo artist at Spiritual Journey and a Datu (chief) of the Mark of the Four Waves tribe. “It’s important to get the tattoos to show the resistance and to revolt against the systematic colonial mentality.”

UH community connects to heritage

For King James Mangoba, a UH ����ԴDz� double major in communication & marketing and Hamilton Library social media content creator, the event was a personal and cultural milestone.

“The rice symbolizes my family’s livelihood of rice farming back in the Philippines. The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life,” he said. “This tattoo is a permanent reminder of where I came from and my appreciation to my ancestors who came before me.”

Doctoral candidate Matthew Melendez, from the , participated in the tattoo sessions. “Receiving knowledge from the Tatak ng Apat na Alon tribe through our cultural portal of batok (tattooing) has profoundly transformed me from within,” he said.

The event was co-sponsored by UH ����ԴDz�’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Center for Philippine Studies, and Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop. To support programs like this at Hamilton Library, visit the .

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Mark of the Four Waves members visit the Philippine Studies section at Hamilton Library.The post Exhibit links Filipino tattoos, maps across centuries first appeared on University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� System News.]]> 225411 /news/2025/11/04/leeward-35th-annual-discovery-fair/ Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:40:06 +0000 /news/?p=224849 Keiki enjoy bubbles, slime, magic and more during a day of hands-on discovery.

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Thousands of curious keiki and families filled Leeward Community College’s �ʳ�ʻ�ܱ��Dz� campus for the college’s 35th annual Discovery Fair—a free, family-friendly celebration of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).

Designed for children ages 5 to 10, the fair transformed the campus into a playground of exploration and imagination on November 1. More than 35 interactive booths—created and hosted by Leeward faculty and staff—invited young learners to experiment, create and discover the fun side of STEAM.

Slime, magic, more

Among the biggest hits: Slime Time, where keiki whipped up their own gooey concoctions; Bubble Geometry, which revealed the surprising science of bubbles; and captivating magic shows by Mr. O the Magician, an alumnus from Leeward CC’s first graduating class in 1970.

“My kids had the best time at the Discovery Fair,” said Erin Maruoka, a parent of two and a Leeward CC employee. “They were totally hooked on slime-making and couldn’t get enough of the magic show. Now they think this is what happens at Leeward CC every day and keep begging to come to work with me!”

Other returning favorites included origami, printmaking, balloon creations by Balloon Monsoon, and upbeat tunes from 102.7 Da Bomb.

“Our goal is to spark curiosity and make learning fun,” said Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza. “Events like the Discovery Fair let keiki experience the excitement of STEAM firsthand, inspiring them to imagine, create and explore new possibilities.”

After rounds of hands-on fun, families recharged with ʻ�DzԴ� food from a wide range of local food vendors.

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The post Leeward CC ignites young imaginations at 35th annual Discovery Fair first appeared on University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ�� System News.]]>

With recent acquisitions ranging from rare 19th-century lithographs to the archives of �鶹��ý artists and architects, at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� continues to strengthen its role as a hub for Pacific and �鶹��ý art research.

“These gifts enrich our collections and ensure that we are able to provide a rich tapestry of materials to support teaching, research and creative activity,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro. “As the library for �鶹��ý only research university, we depend on the generosity of donors to help us build world class collections.”

A set of 57 hand-colored lithographs by Louis Choris from the 19th-century books Voyage Pittoresque Autour du Monde (1822) and Vues et Paysages des Régions Équinoxiales (1826) was donated to the Pacific Collection, which already holds both books.

“These prints are among some of the earliest visual documentation we have of life in the Pacific, and as such are extremely valuable for researchers seeking information on island society, material culture and environments during the early period of contact between Pacific Islanders and Europeans,” said Stu Dawrs, senior librarian in the . He noted that the Pacific Collection is acknowledged as the world’s largest and most complete library of material relating to the Pacific Islands region.

The also received donations, prompting new collections and additions to existing ones. Art Archivist Malia Van Heukelem is establishing archives for UH ����ԴDz� Art Professors Charles Cohan, retiring in December, and Ronald Kowalke, who died in 2021. Both taught art studio classes for decades, earning respect from peers and leaving a lasting impact on students and the community.

The Cohan Papers include sketchbooks, instructional materials and exhibition ephemera from his career as a printmaker. The Kowalke Papers feature faculty papers, sketchbooks, photos and records of his works, including his at the �鶹��ý Convention Center.

Additional acquisitions were made to the and the . The Doi donation adds original works—watercolors, drawings, prints and two self-published books—building on correspondence previously donated. Architect Sidney Snyder, Vladimir Ossipoff’s business partner, donated professional photos, index cards and awards documenting their firm’s projects. Snyder died on September 21, 2025, and had previously donated materials in 2010.

Seven University of �鶹��ý alumni joined more than 50 acclaimed artists from �鶹��ý and around the globe to transform Farrington High School into an open-air gallery during the 13th annual World Wide Walls �鶹��ý festival, held September 15–21. The artists added their creative touch to the Kalihi campus, underscoring the impact of UH talent in shaping �鶹��ý’s contemporary art scene.

The festival was organized by Jasper and Amy Wong of World Wide Walls. Amy, who earned an associate in arts in liberal arts from Kapiʻolani Community College in 2005, led logistics and operations.

“We do our best to beautify communities and help to inspire children, students, faculty, and anyone who actually walks the path of where our art is,” she said. “We hope to inspire them to do something great in the world.”

Accessible art

With the addition of 50 new permanent murals this year, Farrington High School now boasts 67 total works, making it one of the largest collections of contemporary public art in the state.

Among the artists was Kelsie Dayna, a 2011 graduate of the Shidler College of Business at UH ����ԴDz�, who earned a bachelor of business administration in marketing.

“This has been a career goal for me. Jasper and Amy have done so much to make art accessible, and one of the things the vice principal of Farrington mentioned was that art is sometimes intimidating or scary,” Dayna said. “Life is super short, so you want to spend it doing something that you love. Whether it’s art, photography, film or animation, just go for it because you really have nothing to lose.”

Meaningful connections

Also painting was Kaelyn Okuhata, a 2021 Shidler College of Business graduate from UH ����ԴDz�, who earned an MBA. Known artistically as “Art by Sachiko,” Okuhata encourages current UH students to embrace the support and networks available to them.

“Make sure that you network with as many people as you can throughout your journey in school and then onto your career as well, because—everyone here in the islands—I just know they’re here to support you and they are rooting for people within our community,” Okuhata said.

From bold murals to meaningful advice, UH alumni are leaving their mark on �鶹��ý’s walls—and its future.

at Windward Community College will present KULEANA, an ambitious group exhibition running August 29–December 12, 2025, exploring one of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s most layered and resonant concepts.

Co-curated by April A.H. Drexel and Gallery ʻIolani Director Kapulani Landgraf, the exhibition pairs University of �鶹��ý alumni, faculty and former faculty in collaborative conversations on the meaning of kuleana—delving into history, politics, culture, identity and socio-economic realities that shape �鶹��ý and its people.

“Recently, 'kuleana' has become a buzzword or stock phrase for many who use it. However, it is far more than a reference to responsibility or privilege,” Landgraf said. “It is about accountability, and the moral courage to right a wrong, no matter the consequence.”

Some artist duos created their works in close partnership, while others contributed individually, each adding to a collective narrative centered on responsibility, accountability and agency.

Participating artists

Participating artists include: Maile Andrade, John T. Koga, Drew Kahuʻāina Broderick, Cory Kamehanaokalā Holt Taum, Kimo Alexander Cashman, Edward Makahiapo Cashman Jr., Kaili Chun, Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu, Richard Hamasaki, Noʻu Revilla, Stacy Hoshino, Keahiahi Sharon Long, Healoha Johnston, Nina Tonga, Rochelle Piʻilani Hussey Kaaloa, Lia O’Neill M.A. Keawe, Linda Kāne, Malia Ann Crowningburg Kāne, Karen K. Kosasa, Eiko Kosasa, Kekeha Solis, and Kekailoa Perry.

Opening reception

Friday, August 29, 4–7 p.m. at Gallery ʻIolani, Windward CC, 45-720 Keaʻahala Road

Admission is free and open to the public.

Public programs: KOʻAKĀ series

In conjunction with the exhibition, Gallery ʻIolani will host KOʻAKĀ, a series of community discussions and presentations on select Saturdays 3–4:30 p.m.:

• August 30: “Inspirations, Aspirations, Innovations”—Panelists: Maile Andrade, Drew Broderick, Kaili Chun. Moderator: April A.H. Drexel
• September 27: “IN CASE of EMERGENCY”—Panelists: Linda Kāne, Kekailoa Perry, Cory Kamehanaokalā Holt Taum. Moderator: April A.H. Drexel
• October 11: “Perpetual Motion – churning, thrashing, roaring”—Panelists: Richard Hamasaki, Lisa Linn Kanae, Keahiahi Sharon Long, Nāwaʻa Napoleon. Moderator: April A.H. Drexel
• October 25: “festering wounds, battle fatigue, paralysis of toxic shaming”—Panelists: Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu, Lia O’Neill M.A. Keawe, Karen K. Kosasa. Moderator: April A.H. Drexel
• November 15: “Routes & Rootedness”—Panelists: Kimo Alexander Cashman, Rochelle Piʻilani Hussey Kaaloa, Kekeha Solis. Moderator: April A.H. Drexel

For more information, visit or follow on Instagram.

The University of �鶹��ý Maui College campus was alive with art, as students, cultural practitioners and community members gathered on June 27, for the blessing and unveiling of three new large-scale murals created through the Hui Moʻolelo Mural Project. The murals were designed to elevate the voices and moʻolelo (stories) of Maui’s people.

“At UH Maui College, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “That’s what we want our students to do—to look, to listen, to learn—and then to find their own voices and express themselves. These murals bring learning into our shared spaces, offering moments of reflection, inspiration and connection for every member of our community.”

Laughter and tears

Each mural emerged from Hui Moʻolelo’s unique process: local storytellers recorded audio reflections rooted in memory and place, which were then interpreted by professional artists selected through a public call.

At the Kaʻaʻike Building, artist Solomon Enos created a vibrant piece inspired by the oral histories of Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia, gathered by Pualani Enos of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace.

“The oral histories gave me a ‘kūlolo’ level of understanding of Maui—dense, rich and sweet,” Enos said. “I laughed out loud as often as I was brought to tears. With deep gratitude and aloha, I offer this work to the Maui community.”

Outside the Pilina Building, muralist Eric Finley Jr. (the artist known as SEVEN) translated moʻolelo shared by Louis Garcia III and Kaliko Storer—including the tale of a 92-pound ulua—into a dynamic composition celebrating the ocean’s lessons. The community’s original song, “Pule, Catch Fish and Share,” written during a Kīhei workshop, played as guests arrived.

At the Kūpaʻa Building, Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx) explored ancestral knowledge, healing, and gender fluidity through a mural informed by conversations with Anuhea Yagi, Hōaka Delos Reyes, Nicolita Garces and Ashley Ancheta Galacgac. A carved stone healer’s face symbolizes permanence and generational wisdom.

Brilyn Neizman, a 2025 UH Maui College graduate, watched as the murals were painted and attended the blessing and unveiling. She said the painting outside the Pilina Building is her favorite.

”I love that the Lahaina mountains are in the background. That gives a real sense of community,” Neizman said. “It’s so amazing the way they tell stories throughout the process.”

The presentation by the Maui Public Art Corps and the County of Maui marked the culmination of months of deep community engagement, cultural consultation and creative collaboration.—resulting in three murals at UH Maui College that center the voices and moʻolelo (stories) of Maui’s people.

More about each mural and the stories behind them can be found at .

invites the public to experience a vibrant showcase of student creativity at its Annual Student Art Exhibition at through May 13, Monday through Saturday, 1—5 p.m. The free exhibit features the work of 55 student artists across a diverse range of media, including ceramics, digital art, drawing, film photography, painting, sculpture and woodworking.

The annual exhibition is a celebration of the dedication, talent and growth of Windward CC art students throughout the academic year. Each piece reflects not only technical skill but also a unique voice shaped by the college’s strong foundation in Hawaiian values, cultural learning and the natural environment of Koʻolaupoko.

“Celebrate the remarkable work created in the energetic and productive environment of the Windward CC studios… It’s our students, coming together from all walks of life, sharing space, sharing ideas, sharing support for one another in their challenges, that makes Windward CC the great place that it is,” said Bryce Myers, assistant professor of art.

Windward CC’s art programs challenge students to expand their creative boundaries while engaging deeply with cultural knowledge of Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) and the natural history of the ʻāina (land). The result is a body of work that is rich in meaning, connection and identity—art that is both technically refined and rooted in a strong sense of place.

For more information, visit Gallery ʻIolani or call (808) 236-9155.

Leeward Community College’s own Kosta Kulundžić, a talented artist and passionate educator, was recently featured in , a national platform that celebrates creatives making meaningful contributions in their communities. The interview highlighted Kulundžić’s compelling blend of traditional artistic technique and bold, contemporary themes, as well as his commitment to curating inclusive, thought-provoking exhibitions.

At Leeward CC, Kulundžić brings that same drive and creativity into his multifaceted role. As a visual arts faculty member and coordinator of the campus’ , he is deeply invested in nurturing the next generation of artists while strengthening the connection between the college and the broader community.

‘Shine through art’

Beyond teaching, his leadership at the Hōʻikeākea Gallery has transformed the space into a dynamic cultural venue that celebrates local stories and diverse voices. With a curatorial approach rooted in collaboration and social relevance, Kulundžić creates exhibitions that resonate both on campus and beyond.

“When I began as gallery coordinator, my main goal was to make the gallery—and Leeward CC—shine through art,” said Kulundžić. “I have worked, and continue to work, with all my energy to achieve that.”

His ability to foster meaningful connections—between artist and audience, tradition and innovation, and community and institution—has elevated the gallery into a vital cultural hub for West Oʻahu.

Kulundžić encourages his students to challenge norms, embrace risk-taking, and express their identities through art. His classrooms are vibrant spaces where critical thinking and creativity go hand in hand.

The Shoutout LA, feature not only celebrated his personal achievements but also highlighted the broader impact of his work at Leeward CC.

“It made me incredibly happy and proud to see that this effort was, in some way, recognized,” Kulundžić said. “But this is not just a personal success; it reflects the incredible trust and support that Leeward has placed in me and in my vision for the gallery.”

Through his teaching, curatorial work and community engagement, Kosta Kulundžić continues to inspire students and shape �鶹��ý’s creative future—one brushstroke, exhibition and conversation at a time.

The at Leeward Community College is open to the public.

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from University of �鶹��ý at Hilo’s Saxony Charlot.

Charlot shared, “My ecology professor, Dr. Becky Ostertag, encouraged me to submit my art to the �鶹��ý Nei Art Exhibition. I had never submitted my art to any contest or exhibit before, but was inspired to enter this piece and another—and they were both accepted! This one is the extinct �鶹��ý mamo with a critically endangered ʻoha wai. ”

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Column by Chancellor Lui Hokoana was published by on February 27, 2025.

This month we’re going to give the Humanities—specifically the visual arts—a little love.

“Our campus has a number of significant and meaningful public art works, created by a variety of visual artists,” explains Humanities Department Chair and Visual Arts Program Coordinator Michael Takemoto. “I encourage our students, staff, and visitors to experience them in person.” And so do I. Art is as good for the soul as it is for the senses.

Our campus centerpiece is surely the mural “Makahiki” that stretches across the Great Lawn-facing wall of the Kaʻaʻike Building. Completed 10 years ago, the work was conceived by art student Sammy “Kammy” Kaiwi, and painted by him together with many fellow art students and supervised by Michael Takemoto.

It depicts the makahiki season, the four months of the year when, in ancient �鶹��ý, work gave way to leisure and the land was allowed to rest. Other tales of old �鶹��ý are also depicted. So, while the impact of the whole is undeniable, it’s worth spending some time exploring the details.

Head towards Kaʻahumanu Avenue to “A Path through the Trees,” a stunning bronze sculpture by the internationally renowned artist Saturo Abe who, sadly, passed away earlier this month at the age of 98. Installed on our campus in 2009, the work was commissioned by the Art in Public Places Program of the �鶹��ý State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA). It was Abe’s last commissioned work and the largest sculpture he ever made.

According to an article in First Friday �鶹��ý in November 2009, “this work represents a group of five trees surrounding an abstract geographical representation of Maui, with a pair of abstract ‘islands’ that represent Haleakalā and the West Maui Mountains. As one passes through, one is reminded of the metaphor that Maui Community College plays in both the Maui community and in the students’ journey.”

At the edge of the Great Lawn outside the Pilina Building, “Dolphin” has been leaping skyward since 1987. It was crafted by Welding Instructor John Ringen and three of his students.

Celebrated Maui sculptor Bruce Turnbull is represented by two pieces. The sleek bronze “Wind and Sea” was commissioned by the SFCA in 1992. Installed in a patch of ferns between the Welding Shop and the Pilina Building, it is an abstract interpretation of a wave and sails.

“Kūlapa Kai—To Frolic in the Ocean” is the enchanting mother monk seal and her pup that rest between the Ka Lama and Noiʻi Buildings. It was sculpted by Turnbull and collaborator Kim Mosley from a single piece of New Zealand marble. The work was a gift in 2014 from Jim and Mary Hirshfield. The couple had honeymooned on Maui decades earlier and wanted to “return some of the joy” they had received.

Outside the ʻIke Leʻa Building, another sculpture commissioned by the SFCA pays tribute to Maui Nui. Sean K. L. Browne’s abstract “Na Moku ʻEkolu (Three Islands)” is cast and welded silicon bronze and was installed in 1985.

If you have circumnavigated our campus, you will have undoubtedly encountered ceramic cylinders stacked on poles. There are eight of them, most around the Heona and Ka Lama Buildings. They are the work of former students under the tutelage of one of Maui’s premier ceramicists, Jennifer Owen, who taught at our college for many years.

“The students knew that the poles would be on display for the indefinite future so they really poured themselves into the effort, devoting serious thought to the theme for their particular component, and also to the execution in terms of relief sculpture, drawing, color scheme, piercing, and/or glazing,” she remembers. “I was thrilled to see what each student came up with. I also enjoyed designing each pole, deciding on the placement of each to show it off to its best advantage. I imagine the students coming back to visit campus and taking pride in their contributions to our beautiful campus.”

So, the next time you find yourself in Kahului with even just a few minutes of spare time, please come and take a stroll and feast your eyes on the beautiful art on display on our campus. Your heart and your soul will thank you.

For complete information about UH Maui College, please visit .

Dr. Lui K. Hokoana is Chancellor of the University of �鶹��ý Maui College. Ka’ana Mana’o, which means “sharing thoughts,” is scheduled to appear on the fourth Thursday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from UH Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.