Artist Statement

My work exists at the intersection of indigenous knowledge, memory, and visual storytelling. I explore the ways in which color, nature, and history shape identity—both personal and collective. My research focuses on Hawaiian color perspectives, native dye traditions, and the language of color, while my art brings these explorations into form through illustration and mixed media.

My drawings often feature quiet, introspective characters who merge with the elements around them—clouds, waves, mountains—blurring the boundaries between self and place. Many of my portraits are framed in soft ovals, echoing the aesthetics of ancestral cameos, as if capturing figures in a liminal space between past and present. Through ink, watercolor, and digital media, I seek to create moments of reflection where identity, mythology, and emotion intertwine.

Currently, I am developing a project that archives and reimagines native color systems, making them accessible as tools for education and sense of place. My illustrations, much like my research, are an exploration of connection—offering a way to see color not just as pigment, but as history, story, and belonging.

This version ties in the oval framing of your portraits while maintaining the broader themes of color, place, and transformation. Let me know if this resonates or if you’d like any refinements!