Resemble The 'Alalā (February 2019)
Noble Richardson, Elmer Bio, Amanda Joy Bowers, Kirk Kurokawa, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “We are a group of 4 artists with one coherent message. This mural not only represents our amazing ahupua'a it represents the voices within it. Now is our time to speak for voices that can't be heard and for our land and resources that aren't able to speak. We must resemble the 'alalā (Hawaiian Crow ) and speak with volume.
We must be the hina'i ( fish trap ) and gather mana'o ( knowledge ) to sustain our connection to our home as well as releasing it so that it may evolve. Like Kanaloa ( ocean god symbolized by octopus) we must travel to far reaches of the ocean and make our way home so that we may uphold our kuleana (responsibility ) of caretaking for the land that takes care of us.
Our message is meant to be heard and carried far beyond our shore to share our knowledge with the world, and through @pangeaseed Foundation we can synthesize and reconnect as a single consciousness of caretaking for life. It is a message of artivism with a mission of planting seeds to strengthen our ecosystem.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Noble Richardson, Elmer Bio, Amanda Joy Bowers, Kirk Kurokawa, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “We are a group of 4 artists with one coherent message. This mural not only represents our amazing ahupua'a it represents the voices within it. Now is our time to speak for voices that can't be heard and for our land and resources that aren't able to speak. We must resemble the 'alalā (Hawaiian Crow ) and speak with volume.
We must be the hina'i ( fish trap ) and gather mana'o ( knowledge ) to sustain our connection to our home as well as releasing it so that it may evolve. Like Kanaloa ( ocean god symbolized by octopus) we must travel to far reaches of the ocean and make our way home so that we may uphold our kuleana (responsibility ) of caretaking for the land that takes care of us.
Our message is meant to be heard and carried far beyond our shore to share our knowledge with the world, and through @pangeaseed Foundation we can synthesize and reconnect as a single consciousness of caretaking for life. It is a message of artivism with a mission of planting seeds to strengthen our ecosystem.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Untitled (February 2019)
Gregg Kaplan, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “My piece is inspired by the concept of Mauka to Makai and the belief that all things in nature are connected.
The mural showcases different prints, patterns, colors and textures that I have seen along the journey that Maui’s streams take through the valleys towards the shoreline and into the ocean.
I entered into this project with no final outcome in mind and enjoyed working through the weather and rain, meeting new friends local and around the world and bringing the different elements together spontaneously.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Gregg Kaplan, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “My piece is inspired by the concept of Mauka to Makai and the belief that all things in nature are connected.
The mural showcases different prints, patterns, colors and textures that I have seen along the journey that Maui’s streams take through the valleys towards the shoreline and into the ocean.
I entered into this project with no final outcome in mind and enjoyed working through the weather and rain, meeting new friends local and around the world and bringing the different elements together spontaneously.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
High Tides/Low Tides (February 2019)
Kaiʻili Kaulukukui, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Oceanic tides connect us all, whether we live in a coastal town, inland or even in the mountains, tides affect our lives. The amount of plastics in the sea has been increasing and is reaching catastrophic levels of saturation and much of the floating garbage is at the mercy of the tides and winds.
Nearly everything we use has some attachment to plastic, and unfortunately, time and time again those plastics end up in the sea. We have to stay vigilant about every plastic straw, bag, single use bottle and cap, cigarette and candy wrapper and so much more, that we drop on the ground, as it eventually ends up in the ocean harming ecosystems and the animals that live there.
The oceanic composition in “High Tides/ Low Tides” is meant to represent the change in tidal movements throughout the year. The moon phase is stuck on full to indicate the maximum effect of the process, and to strengthen the idea of the power caused by a full moon. The large red sun is layered over the ocean as a reminder that a large chunk of our trash is from Japan and other countries far across the sea. The subdued color palette is meant to represent the lost luster of plastics as they are heated in the sun and broken down in to micro plastics. The honu who is stuck in the lines and plastic represents us, people stuck in their ways and trapped by routine. The swimmer reaching to pull off the debris is a keiki, the literal representation of our future, and the idea of positive change that can be obtained.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Kaiʻili Kaulukukui, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Oceanic tides connect us all, whether we live in a coastal town, inland or even in the mountains, tides affect our lives. The amount of plastics in the sea has been increasing and is reaching catastrophic levels of saturation and much of the floating garbage is at the mercy of the tides and winds.
Nearly everything we use has some attachment to plastic, and unfortunately, time and time again those plastics end up in the sea. We have to stay vigilant about every plastic straw, bag, single use bottle and cap, cigarette and candy wrapper and so much more, that we drop on the ground, as it eventually ends up in the ocean harming ecosystems and the animals that live there.
The oceanic composition in “High Tides/ Low Tides” is meant to represent the change in tidal movements throughout the year. The moon phase is stuck on full to indicate the maximum effect of the process, and to strengthen the idea of the power caused by a full moon. The large red sun is layered over the ocean as a reminder that a large chunk of our trash is from Japan and other countries far across the sea. The subdued color palette is meant to represent the lost luster of plastics as they are heated in the sun and broken down in to micro plastics. The honu who is stuck in the lines and plastic represents us, people stuck in their ways and trapped by routine. The swimmer reaching to pull off the debris is a keiki, the literal representation of our future, and the idea of positive change that can be obtained.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Navigating our Future (February 2019)
TECHS, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “My mural is in collaboration with @pacificwhalefoundation and features Maui’s very own navigator Kalā and her son Te Kauri. Kalā is helping to ensure the future of wayfinding and traditional ocean voyaging are maintained for the next generation. In order to be a traditional navigator your observation skills have to be of the utmost highest level. Noticing such changes like the impacts on land affect our oceans and how we navigate.
To not only navigate by the stars but also navigate the challenges facing our oceans and ecosystems of today, we will have to better observe what’s happening around us; the changes in our climate, habits, our impact on the environment, the teachings of our elders and the wisdom of our ancestors planted in nature patiently waiting for us to uncover what we thought was once lost. From the mountain tops to the sea we must care for it all and everything in between.
As part of the collaboration with @pacificwhalefoundation for this mural, the task was to incorporate the endangered Hawaiian false killer whale depicted in the star constellation. For navigators, stars play an important roll in wayfinding. Stories and tales were specifically created to ensure that the way to find a certain place was remembered. It was also told in such a way a child could remember the tale thus, allowing us indigenous Maori and guardians of both land and sea to hand our sacred knowledge down through the generations.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
TECHS, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “My mural is in collaboration with @pacificwhalefoundation and features Maui’s very own navigator Kalā and her son Te Kauri. Kalā is helping to ensure the future of wayfinding and traditional ocean voyaging are maintained for the next generation. In order to be a traditional navigator your observation skills have to be of the utmost highest level. Noticing such changes like the impacts on land affect our oceans and how we navigate.
To not only navigate by the stars but also navigate the challenges facing our oceans and ecosystems of today, we will have to better observe what’s happening around us; the changes in our climate, habits, our impact on the environment, the teachings of our elders and the wisdom of our ancestors planted in nature patiently waiting for us to uncover what we thought was once lost. From the mountain tops to the sea we must care for it all and everything in between.
As part of the collaboration with @pacificwhalefoundation for this mural, the task was to incorporate the endangered Hawaiian false killer whale depicted in the star constellation. For navigators, stars play an important roll in wayfinding. Stories and tales were specifically created to ensure that the way to find a certain place was remembered. It was also told in such a way a child could remember the tale thus, allowing us indigenous Maori and guardians of both land and sea to hand our sacred knowledge down through the generations.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Kaulana Nā Wai ʻEhā (February 2019)
Cory Kamehanaokalā, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist Statement: “This piece is my tribute to the four famous streams of west Maui and the importance of the Ahupuaʻa system in both traditional times and even more so, today. The idea is to give the viewer the "birds eye view" of the Wailuku valley and river, and the sea at Kaʻehu bay. I believe in these crucial times we must look from this view to realize and understand the effects of our actions and the importance of protecting what precious resources we still have before it is too late.
The textures of the mountain valley and the ocean hope to share how the original people of this land were very aware of the importance of the patterns in nature that surrounded us; from the visual patterns found on many life forms around us, to the cycles in the earth and sky.
The bold panel of pattern the runs through the middle of the composition represents each of these stream systems, Waikapū , Wailuku , Waiehu , and Waiheʻe, running from the watershed all the way down the ocean. The center image is a "Hue wai", a traditional Hawaiian water gourd, an item that was once an very important part of life when the resource of water was understood as the one of greatest riches in life.
The patterning on the gourd eludes to the pool of fresh water high in the Mauna Kahalawai (West Maui Mountains), known as "KiʻowaioKihawahine", and the traditional spiritual understanding of the role and importance of the goddess Kihawahine (Lizard Woman). The bird motif is a contemporary pattern inspired by the only endemic seabird to Hawaii, the ʻAʻo (Newells Shearwater), who begin their life high on the slopes of Mauna Kahalawai, then eventually travel out throughout the Pacific Ocean.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Cory Kamehanaokalā, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist Statement: “This piece is my tribute to the four famous streams of west Maui and the importance of the Ahupuaʻa system in both traditional times and even more so, today. The idea is to give the viewer the "birds eye view" of the Wailuku valley and river, and the sea at Kaʻehu bay. I believe in these crucial times we must look from this view to realize and understand the effects of our actions and the importance of protecting what precious resources we still have before it is too late.
The textures of the mountain valley and the ocean hope to share how the original people of this land were very aware of the importance of the patterns in nature that surrounded us; from the visual patterns found on many life forms around us, to the cycles in the earth and sky.
The bold panel of pattern the runs through the middle of the composition represents each of these stream systems, Waikapū , Wailuku , Waiehu , and Waiheʻe, running from the watershed all the way down the ocean. The center image is a "Hue wai", a traditional Hawaiian water gourd, an item that was once an very important part of life when the resource of water was understood as the one of greatest riches in life.
The patterning on the gourd eludes to the pool of fresh water high in the Mauna Kahalawai (West Maui Mountains), known as "KiʻowaioKihawahine", and the traditional spiritual understanding of the role and importance of the goddess Kihawahine (Lizard Woman). The bird motif is a contemporary pattern inspired by the only endemic seabird to Hawaii, the ʻAʻo (Newells Shearwater), who begin their life high on the slopes of Mauna Kahalawai, then eventually travel out throughout the Pacific Ocean.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Legacy (February 2019)
Dulk, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Last year 2018 I had the chance to visit the Hawai'i archipelago for the first time and I was very lucky to feel incredible sensations being very close to a humpback whale and her calf.
When Pangeaseed asked me for coming back to the islands for painting for a purpose I didn't hesitate in working with a piece based on these magical creatures.
Maui is one of the best places to see the humpback whales in the world and we were there while breeding season was happening so the opportunity was the best to create it. Working in this piece has been really emotional for me.
Legacy represents the eternal travel of a humpback mum and her calf traveling to a better place.
Our seas are being subjected to dramatic circumstances every day and their inhabitants flee without a way to a better place. They camouflage themselves between ecosystems trying to escape from an announced end.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Dulk, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Last year 2018 I had the chance to visit the Hawai'i archipelago for the first time and I was very lucky to feel incredible sensations being very close to a humpback whale and her calf.
When Pangeaseed asked me for coming back to the islands for painting for a purpose I didn't hesitate in working with a piece based on these magical creatures.
Maui is one of the best places to see the humpback whales in the world and we were there while breeding season was happening so the opportunity was the best to create it. Working in this piece has been really emotional for me.
Legacy represents the eternal travel of a humpback mum and her calf traveling to a better place.
Our seas are being subjected to dramatic circumstances every day and their inhabitants flee without a way to a better place. They camouflage themselves between ecosystems trying to escape from an announced end.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Native Protector (February 2019)
Joey Rose & Alexandra Underwood, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Ocean acidification, an issue largely unknown, is a serious and growing threat to our oceans. CO2 pumped into the atmosphere from man-made carbon emissions is being absorbed by the ocean, making the water more acidic.
Everything made of calcium carbonate is impacted by highly acidic ocean water including shellfish, plankton, and coral.
But there is some hope: although not a permanent solution, studies show that replanting certain species of native coral help reduce the effects of ocean acidification.
In our mural, the native coral in the center of the composition stands tall in protection of the rest of the reef.
We chose to highlight the immense power of this native coral. The large central coral is strong and solid, while the other sea life is becoming translucent as they come in contact with the large dark shapes, symbolizing the effects of acidification.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Joey Rose & Alexandra Underwood, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Ocean acidification, an issue largely unknown, is a serious and growing threat to our oceans. CO2 pumped into the atmosphere from man-made carbon emissions is being absorbed by the ocean, making the water more acidic.
Everything made of calcium carbonate is impacted by highly acidic ocean water including shellfish, plankton, and coral.
But there is some hope: although not a permanent solution, studies show that replanting certain species of native coral help reduce the effects of ocean acidification.
In our mural, the native coral in the center of the composition stands tall in protection of the rest of the reef.
We chose to highlight the immense power of this native coral. The large central coral is strong and solid, while the other sea life is becoming translucent as they come in contact with the large dark shapes, symbolizing the effects of acidification.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Celestial Guidance (February 2019)
Mary Iverson, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “My mural is meant to inspire us to find a balance between technology and nature. The design portrays the observatory atop Haleakalā next to the Polynesian navigation compass. Both entities help us look to the stars and ponder our position in the universe, but each represents a very different perspective; modern tools on one side, ancient wisdom on the other. We have made so many technological advances but we’ve lost our connection to nature, resulting in a world in peril.
Our wasteful practices have brought many animals to the brink of extinction, especially those who rely on healthy oceans to survive. The fate of the albatross is especially sad; many birds are dying from ingesting pieces of plastic, which is estimated to become more abundant than fish in our oceans by mid century.
Although the situation is dire, there are actions we can take to reduce our impact on the oceans moving forward: avoid single-use plastics, support businesses that use compostable materials, use a refillable water bottle, secure your trash, and participate in a beach clean up.
Find the ocean conservation organization nearest to you and check in with them - there are so many great people out there making a difference that can use our help! Thank you for following my work and for keeping @pangeaseed and @seawalls_ in your sights.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Mary Iverson, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “My mural is meant to inspire us to find a balance between technology and nature. The design portrays the observatory atop Haleakalā next to the Polynesian navigation compass. Both entities help us look to the stars and ponder our position in the universe, but each represents a very different perspective; modern tools on one side, ancient wisdom on the other. We have made so many technological advances but we’ve lost our connection to nature, resulting in a world in peril.
Our wasteful practices have brought many animals to the brink of extinction, especially those who rely on healthy oceans to survive. The fate of the albatross is especially sad; many birds are dying from ingesting pieces of plastic, which is estimated to become more abundant than fish in our oceans by mid century.
Although the situation is dire, there are actions we can take to reduce our impact on the oceans moving forward: avoid single-use plastics, support businesses that use compostable materials, use a refillable water bottle, secure your trash, and participate in a beach clean up.
Find the ocean conservation organization nearest to you and check in with them - there are so many great people out there making a difference that can use our help! Thank you for following my work and for keeping @pangeaseed and @seawalls_ in your sights.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Nāmakaokahaʻi (February 2019)
Lauren Brevner, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Inspired by Hawaiian mythology, I choose to represent the topic of overfishing with my interpretation of the sea goddess Nāmakaokahaʻi.
Her waters are seen as empty and lacking life, this visual combined with a limited palette emphasizes a loss of color and vibrancy that our oceans once had.
Highlighting a netted parrotfish (a species that is integral to the protection of coral reef health) which are severely overfished in Hawaii is another reminder of the many ways overfishing has an impact on our oceans.
As an ARTivist it was very important to me to create a piece that was visually engaging, easy to understand and positive while still carrying a clear message.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Lauren Brevner, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “Inspired by Hawaiian mythology, I choose to represent the topic of overfishing with my interpretation of the sea goddess Nāmakaokahaʻi.
Her waters are seen as empty and lacking life, this visual combined with a limited palette emphasizes a loss of color and vibrancy that our oceans once had.
Highlighting a netted parrotfish (a species that is integral to the protection of coral reef health) which are severely overfished in Hawaii is another reminder of the many ways overfishing has an impact on our oceans.
As an ARTivist it was very important to me to create a piece that was visually engaging, easy to understand and positive while still carrying a clear message.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Mauka to Makai (February 2019)
Matthew and Roxanne Ortiz aka Wooden Wave, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “This mural was painted in collaboration with @coral_org in an effort illustrate the importance of caring for the upstream or “Mauka” regions in order to keep near shore reefs clean and clear of harmful run-off.
The tree house in the foreground serves a research outpost and native plant nursery for conservationists who are revegetating eroding gulches. The phrase written on the right side of the mural translates to “Mountain to the Sea” and highlights the idea that the well being of the ocean is intrinsically tied to the health of our upland ecosystems.
We imagine this is where conservationists work and play. Protecting our seas is laborious but satisfying work. On breaks from rigorous field work, resident conservationists are encouraged to skate the half pipe, ride the slide and soak in the gorgeous view from the tire swing.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
Matthew and Roxanne Ortiz aka Wooden Wave, Pangeaseed Foundation
Artist statement: “This mural was painted in collaboration with @coral_org in an effort illustrate the importance of caring for the upstream or “Mauka” regions in order to keep near shore reefs clean and clear of harmful run-off.
The tree house in the foreground serves a research outpost and native plant nursery for conservationists who are revegetating eroding gulches. The phrase written on the right side of the mural translates to “Mountain to the Sea” and highlights the idea that the well being of the ocean is intrinsically tied to the health of our upland ecosystems.
We imagine this is where conservationists work and play. Protecting our seas is laborious but satisfying work. On breaks from rigorous field work, resident conservationists are encouraged to skate the half pipe, ride the slide and soak in the gorgeous view from the tire swing.”
PHOTOS: Tre' Packard
While the projects above were not installed in Wailuku Town, they were an incredible part of Pangeaseed Foundation's February 2019 program. Congratulations to the artists: Ben Johnston (“Protect What You Love”), @crackedink (“You Are What You Eat”), Gavin Murai (“Prosperity”), Getso (“Towards Hope”), and Jerry Rugg (“Hawaiian Monk Seal”)
LOCATION: Baldwin High School, Wailuku, HI
LOCATION: Baldwin High School, Wailuku, HI