​Contributing Artists

Eve Adams

 Nest
Ceramic
3.5x7x3 inch
(5)

Aina Akaboshi

Pit Stop
Photography
​9.13x11.41 inch
(28)

Ireen Alland

Big Appetite
Watercolor and waterproof ink pencil
7x7 inch
​(7)

I'm Ireen Alland, an embryologist with unique passion for art. My journey began in the world of science, where I dedicated myself to the intricate and fascinating process of creating embryos. Every day in the lab, I am amazed by the delicate beginnings of life and the scientific marvels that make it possible. 

But my passion doesn't end here. Inspired by the beauty I see in early development, I translate this wonder into art, drawing detailed and heartfelt illustrations of the embryos I help create. Each drawing is a celebration of life's complexity and an homage to the incredible journeys of the families I assist.

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @ivfartbyireen

Mitchell Anderson

Young Watcher
Casein on panel
​16x20 inch
​(2)
​
​My paintings come from direct observation and field sketching around Honolulu. I am interested in the everyday presence of the Manu o Kū and how they quietly share space with us in the city. These birds have become part of the rhythm of daily life here, watching from branches, rooftops, and sidewalks.

Through these works, I try to honor that closeness and the sense of trust they carry. The Manu o Kū feels less like a symbol and more like a neighbor. Painting them is a way for me to pay attention, to slow down, and to acknowledge the living relationship between people, place, and wildlife in Hawaiʻi.

Rick Armington

Feeding Time
Acrylic on canvas
​16x20 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Marcus Asahina

Untitled
Acrylic on canvas
9x12 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Anna Baatz

Ka manu-o-Kū a me ka mālolo
Digital art
7.5x7.5 inch
​(13)

Eun Jin Baik

Prayer
Acrylic, watercolor and pen
16x16 inch
(Digital slideshow)

My pen name is Murashow and I participated in group exhibitions, End of Year Art Show, December, 2025 and UnconventionaAugust st.2025 
@ The ARTS Mark's Garage artist

Lesley Baptista Smith

Baby Bird
Acrylic, watercolor and pen
8.5x11 inch
​(39)
​
Born and raised on the stunning south shore of O’ahu, I draw inspiration from my native Hawaiian roots and a rich tapestry of ethnicities and traditions that shape my identity. Daily, I am motivated by the beauty of my home, enriched by its warm and diverse community.

My artistic journey is deeply intertwined with my experiences and the shared narratives of those around me. After spending 19 years as a flight attendant for Hawaiian Airlines, I've gathered stories and insights that further fuel my creativity. Through each piece I create, I aim to capture and embody the magic of the Hawaiian Islands, celebrating the unique beauty and spirit of the place I’m fortunate to call home.

​Sarah Barbour

Balancing Act
Oil
10x20 inch
​(4)
​
Originally from the east coast of the United States, Sarah Barbour finally got a studio in the Waialua Sugar Mill on the North Shore of Oahu in October 2024 and has been painting up a storm since.
Instagram: @eosian_art
Piece inspired by this USFWS video: https://flic.kr/p/2raF6R

Madeline Berger

Baby
Watercolor
5.4x5.7 inch
​(10)
​
Madeline Berger is a PhD student at UH Manoa.

Alyssa Birmingham

Manu o Kū and Kukui
Watercolor, colored pencil and pen
​9x11 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Melissa Bow

Itadakimasu!
Watercolor
15x12 inch
​(15)

Manu o Ku Baby Chick Dreaming in a Shower Tree
Watercolor
12x15 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Melissa is an artist and small business owner based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, who also spends part of the year in rural Hokkaidō, Japan. She paints where she is. She likes birds.

Danielle Carico

Cuddles
Charcoal
12x13 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Flying High
Charcoal
9x12 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Kahi Ching

Baby Boy
Acrylic on wood box canvas
​5x5 inch
​(34)

Logan Chung-Manuel

Two Birds on a Flight
Watercolor, collagraph printmaking and pen on paper
15.5x12 inch
​(VIII)

Jhonalyn Cuestas

kaukau time
Acrylic on canvas
14x18 inch
​(20)

Noa Dettweiler-Pavia

Holoholo
Wood, brass, ceramic
6.5x6.5x9 inch
​(19)
​
Artist Statement:
This piece represents a manu o Ku in flight returning to its chick with a catch of squid. Holoholo is a Hawaiian term that means “to go out.” In my family, we say “going holoholo,” instead of “going fishing,” because we believe that saying the latter will scare the fishes away. The base of this sculpture is made from wood of the ohia lehua, which is a kinolau of the god Ku (with whom the bird shares its name).

Malialani Dullanty

Home Without a Nest
Watercolor, ink and charcoal
14.5x18 inch
(Digital slideshow)
​
Native Hawaiian artist and anthropologist, Malialani Dullanty creates diverse works that explore the complexities of relationships, alternative futures, and how we are all connected. Through the use of mixed media, installations, printmaking, and academia, she strives to create a more equitable future through her work.

Artist Statement:
​Manu o Kū do not build nests, but rather find the crook of a tree where they can carefully lay and balance an egg. This precarious home is where parents will also raise their babies year after year, because they tend to return to the same nook once they find one they like. This is dangerous not only due to the potential of the egg not staying in the tree, but also due to the high number of invasive species that can easily access the eggs when there is little to no protection. Living with abandon, much like other native species in the pae 'āina, Manu o Kū continue to claim space in Hawai'i despite this precarity.

Ben Fairfield and Sidney Chuang-Fairfield

Follow the White Tern Home
Watercolor, music
10x12 inch
(Digital slideshow)
​
Benjamin Fairfield received his MA and PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and teaches the Eco-musicology Workshop as lecturer at Hawai'i Pacific University (a sustainability-focused course where students repurpose found objects into musical instruments). His illustrated children's book about repurposing rubbish into musical instruments, Kani Ka 'Opala, was published through UH Press in September 2025. You can learn more about his work at www.kanikaopala.com

Artist Statement:
My son and I started painting and drawing during the pandemic--him with crayons and me with watercolor. When I started this depiction of the manu o kū, I didn't realize he had been drawing jellyfish on an adjacent page. The result is a kind of 'wax resist' effect with an airborne bird superimposed over a jellyfish petroglyph, a meeting of sky and sea. This painting was part of my larger 2025 climate artist residency with the Hawaiʻi State Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (CCMAC), where I created musical instruments (and songs) from repurposed rubbish. The song for the white tern is accessible by scanning the QR code at the bottom of this image.

Dawn Feldman

Manu-o-Kū on Kou Branch
Oil
11x14 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Todd Funasaki

Taking Flight on a Sunday Morning
Photography, mounted on bamboo
8x10 inch
(26)

Kelly Furuya

Sanctuary
Colored pencil on Bristol
9x12 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Anneliese Gallimore

Baby Manu o Kū, Nestled
Acrylic on canvas
9x12 inch
​(3)

Suppertime for the Manu o Kū
Watercolor and colored pencil on paper
10x13 inch
​(Digital slideshow)

Anneliese Gallimore is a painter and recent HPU graduate whose work explores the connection between the natural world and inner emotion. Inspired by the vibrant landscapes and plant life of O'ahu, her paintings move between organic forms and swirling abstractions, reflecting both the energy of nature and the flow of the subconscious. Through color and movement, she creates pieces that embody the life force and power found in plants and the natural world.

Alissa Hartmann

​Solo
Oil
9x12 inch
​(Digital slideshow)

Ashanie Herath

Today's lunch is one loooong fish and a side-snack fish
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

Allraaight, take your time and digest, I can wait
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

​Ashanie is a graduate student at University of Hawaii at Manoa spending all her time in research, while keeping a good friendship with the neighboring white terns by her office. 

Mailelauhulaliakauanoe Hoe

Ena i nā Kukui
Charcoal on canvas
12x12 inch
​(27)
​
Maile Hoe is a Native Hawaiian artist based out of Waiāhole, Oʻahu. Exploring many mediums, including charcoal and graphite, acrylic, oil, and watercolor, and block printing, she creates intimate work that pulls from her one hānau (birth sands) and indigenous experience.

​Artist Statement:
In this piece I wanted to highlight how the stark white of the manu o Kū glows in the shade of the kukui tree. "ʻEna" means to shy away, but it can also mean an "intense glow".

Holy Nativity School

Second grade students.
(I, II, IV, V, VI)

Min Hong

Spirit of Manu o Kū
Acrylic and oil pastel
20x20 inch
(Digital slideshow)
​
Min Hong is an Oahu-based artist originally from South Korea. Drawn to the culture, landscapes, and gentle energy of Hawaii, she began painting as a way to capture the spirit of aloha through color and visual storytelling. Her work is self-taught, intuitive, and rooted in the dreamlike beauty she discovers in everyday island life.
Min's creative journey began as an in-house designer at Greenroom Hawaii, where she was introduced to the world of surf, island art, and collaborations with Japanese clients. Since then, her illustrations have appeared in UNIQLO Hawaii, Hawaii travel guides, and KauKau Magazine. Through each piece, she invites viewers to experience the calm, joy, and light that continue to inspire her.

Artist Statement:
In this piece, I explore the gentle yet powerful spirit of Hawai‘i through the image of the Manu O Kū that has long symbolized purity, peace, and guidance across the islands. Their luminous white wings have always reminded me of the pure essence of Aloha—a way of being rooted in kindness, connection, and care for one another.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Hawaiian quilt patterns, I created a visual tapestry that weaves together cultural memory and contemporary interpretation. The symmetrical forms echo the rhythm of quilting, where every stitch holds a story, while the Manu O Kū soar freely within and beyond the pattern. Their presence represents protection, blessing, and the continual flow of Aloha that surrounds us.

Tara Iden

Manu-o-Kū and City Sunset
Acrylic on canvas
7.5x7.5 inch
(1)

Tara creates work rooted in curiosity, play, and a deep love of the natural world. Her practice explores the relationship between nature and the built environment, often using simplified, accessible forms to tell quiet visual stories.

Nadja Jacobson

Manu-o-Kū at Diamond Head
Acrylic on canvas
11x14 inch
(Digital slideshow)
​
Manu-o-Kū
Acrylic on canvas
20x16 inch
(Digital slideshow)

I was born and raised in East-Berlin. 
The day the Berlin Wall came down was one of the best days of my life. I started traveling almost immediately. I was a Librarian at the Berlin State Library and with more and more international students, my English needed improvement. Finally, I found my way to Hawai'i for a language vacation.
I loved the islands from first sight and after my first visit I came back every year. Eventually, I met the love of my life here and moved. 
Hawai'i is dazzling. I love the flora and fauna. My work is inspired by the beautiful nature that is surrounding me here.

Yoly Jon

warrior bird - koa manu
Beaded ceramic
3x4x3 inch
(37)

koa manu ku'oko'a/free warrior bird
Beaded ceramic
1.3x5x5 inch
(38)
​
My journey to becoming an artist has been quite an adventure! Back in high school, I was always drawing and painting, completely absorbed in my creative world. Believe it or not, I actually started out studying Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso. But picture this: me, locked away in a laboratory, day in and day out! It quickly dawned on me how truly miserable I'd be. That's when I knew, with absolute certainty, that my path had to be in art. I ended up earning degrees in both Painting and Ceramics, because why choose just one passion when you can pursue both?

I even had the amazing opportunity to exhibit my work in El Paso, Texas, and for a while, I even ran my own Bistro Gallery there. But a part of me was yearning for a bigger challenge, a new horizon. So, I took a leap of faith: I sold everything I owned, packed up my two wonderful boys, and we set off to explore the world!

Life on the road meant getting incredibly creative with my materials. In Bali, I found stunning fabrics and spent my time hand-sewing and upcycling clothes. In Mexico, I discovered incredible clay classes for both locals and tourists, which led me to teach and even hold another exhibit there. In Las Vegas I used natural food dyes to create paintings for my exhibit there. Two years ago when I arrived in Hawaii I volunteer in different museums and found a ceramics studio so you guess right Finally I can explore my true passion in ceramics!!
Being a traveling artist means I'm always on the lookout for whatever materials inspire me in the moment, wherever I happen to be.

My art is deeply influenced by the connections I make with different cultures and, of course, the breathtaking beauty of nature itself. I find immense inspiration by truly observing my surroundings—trying to embody the essence of a vibrant flower, a resilient tree, or a soaring bird. It’s about feeling that connection and translating it into my work.

You might have seen my paintings in Las Vegas, my ceramics in Mexico, and now I'm thrilled to be sharing them with you at the DAC, Marks Garage and hopefully here.

My company Terra Memories is about connecting through art and making memories with us by using our ceramics with a friend, contemplating our paintings holding someone's hand or even face painting or doing henna tattoos at your special event.

Krystal Kakimoto

Untitled
Acrylic on canvas
9x12 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Ryan Kniss

​Manu-o-Kū at Diamond Head Lighthouse
Acrylic on canvas
​7x10 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Natalie Kwon

My Neighbor, Manu o Kū
Acrylic on canvas
16x20 inch
​(12)

Natalie Kwon is a multimedia artist whose practice explores the intersection of daily life, observation, and place. Drawing inspiration from small moments like conversation, a song, and the overlooked moments of everyday experience, she works primarily in illustration, painting, and ceramics.

The Manu o Kū have been one of Natalie’s favorite native birds for several years, and she is honored to debut her art with a gallery exhibition dedicated to these beautiful, curious birds.

Artist Statement:
This painting honors the beautiful Manu o Kū that I see residing in Tamarind Park and Fort Street Mall in Downtown, Honolulu. I have always loved the resilience, grace, and curiosity of Manu o Kū, but it was not until I began working downtown that I truly came to know them. 
 
I began a new job in February of 2025, and on my walks into the office, I saw baby terns sitting on branches in trees between buildings: braving the wind and waiting for parents to return from sea. Then leaving my office, I saw the family united, parents fluttering about their baby. Weeks passed, and the baby terns left that branch and took flight. I always admire them, nearly eye-level outside my office window, gliding between the corporate buildings. 
 
I imagine that the adult terns that I see today are the same babies I saw nearly one year ago. They have already begun nesting on the branches, it's a beautiful reminder of the year I have been working downtown, with my neighbors, the Manu o Kū. 

Calvin Lac

Manu-o-Kū bolo tie
Glass enamel on copper, sterling silver bezel
Center piece is 1.5 inch round
​(18)
​
Calvin Lac is a Honolulu-based artist and jewelry-making instructor. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Creative Media from the University of Hawaiʻi. Working primarily in mixed meda, Lac favors materials such as metal, wood, glass and plastics. His artistic inspiration is frequently drawn from both the natural world and industrial objects and mechanisms. 

Sonya Lee

Little Dreamer
Photography
11x14 inch
​(21)

Watching You Grow
Photography
11x14 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Spencer Lee

The Handoff
Photography
16x20 inch
(9)

​Spencer Lee is a Hawaiʻi based photographer and nurse whose work blends wildlife, landscapes, and night-sky imagery into stories of place, patience, and conservation. His portfolio spans intimate urban wildlife moments like Honolulu’s Manu o Kū, alongside high-alpine Milky Way scenes, aurora displays in Alaska, volcanic drama on Hawaiʻi Island, and vivid forest-bird encounters with native honeycreepers. Whether he’s photographing seabirds in the city, rare birds in the mountains, or atmosphere and light across distant landscapes, his goal is the same: to create images that feel both cinematic and personal, grounded in time spent outdoors and deep respect for the natural world.
​
Artist statement:
The Manu o Kū has become the heartbeat of my mornings in downtown Honolulu. Before twelve-hour shifts in the CVICU, I slip into the streets and trees with a camera, watching these white terns turn a busy city into something soft and wild, hovering in perfect light, gliding between branches, and delivering fish to their chicks with quiet precision. Photographing them “before work” started as a way to reclaim a little peace in a demanding season of life, but it’s grown into a long-term relationship with a bird that chooses to raise its family right alongside ours. These images are my love letter to that daily ritual: a reminder that wonder doesn’t always require a faraway trip, sometimes it’s waiting above the sidewalk, wings spread, right on time.

Mark Martel

White Terns
Acrylic 
16x20 inch
​(32)

I paint mostly Hawaiian subjects, mostly in acrylic, and vary my style to suit the subject.

I’m from Dayton, Ohio where I worked as an advertising art director and illustrator where I won 16+ Addys and dozens of regional/local awards. When computers replaced markers and rubber cement I took up figures and landscapes to keep doing art by hand.

In 2013, our move to Hawaii opened the door to fine art. Today I paint plein air, wildlife and Hawaiian subjects for a mix of Big Island galleries. Annual exhibitions at Hilo's Wailua Center have chosen my work for display and awards:
Plein Air Perspectives: 2024 First Place, 2022 Second Place, 2021 Peoples Choice Award
Hawaii Nei: 2025, 2023, 2022, 2019
MidSummer 2018, Abstract show 2018

Mitchel Merrick

Manu o Kū with Mālolo
Linocut on paper
8x10 inch
(41)

Mitchel Merrick is a filmmaker from Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. While his primary creative practice has been filmmaking, he has always drawn, painted, and made visual art informally, often returning to it when inspiration strikes rather than as a structured practice. Much of his early exposure to art came through summer classes at the Honolulu Academy of Arts as a child, which helped shape his relationship to making by hand.
Over the past two years, Mitchel has become increasingly drawn to linocut printmaking and is beginning a more intentional exploration of the medium. In a time when AI-generated imagery is becoming increasingly prevalent, he feels a strong pull toward creating work that is quintessentially human: tactile, imperfect, and poured from the soul. This marks an early step in developing a visual art practice alongside, but separate from, his work in film.
​
Artist Statement
Manu O Kū with Mālolo is a linocut print inspired by one of my favorite birds to watch. While they are often seen gliding above Honolulu in their pairs, my favorite place to observe them is from the water, seated in a waʻa, where their movement feels closer and more intimate.
When they fly near the surface looking for a meal, mālolo will sometimes jump from the water below, creating brief moments where both appear together. This piece uses linocut as a way to capture one of my favorite sights and marks the beginning of my exploration of the medium.

Mid-Pacific Institute

Students ages 6-10.
(X, XI, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI, XXVII, digital slideshow)

Elton Miyagawa

Flying Manu-o-Kū
Wood Carving
(11)

This is my folk art style 1/2 size flying Manu-o-Ku. I was mentored into carving in the late 1990’s by Laurel B. Dabbs while her husband was stationed at Barber’s Point NAS. Now based out of Ohio, she is still America’s most prolific full time female decoy carver. Along the way my art has been influenced through friendships with some of New Jersey’s most notable contemporary decoy carvers like J.P. Hand, Anthony Hillman, David Rhodes and Harry V. Shourds II.

Patrick Mizumoto

Manu-o-Kū, Manifested
Oil on linen, hand-carved brasswood and handmade walnut frame
13.75x11.5 inch
​(29)
 
Patrick Mizumoto is a visual artist living in Honolulu, Hawai’i. His work predominantly includes male figure paintings, abstraction, and scenes from nature. His early education revolved around Atelier style teachings at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (LAAFA) and continued with years of self studying. His work has been exhibited across the US Notably in Hawai’i at the Bishop Museum, Hawai’i State Art Museum and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

Malia Neumann

7:30 am sky
Acrylic on canvas
11.75x15.75 inch
(25)

Artist Statement:
This piece is inspired by my experience watching manu-o-Kū return from their morning catch in Waikīkī, and on the exhibition Let Trade Winds Flow, at the Honolulu Museum of Art that highlights the charming and ingenuitive breeze blocks found around the islands. In 7:30am sky, I hope to remember these delightful local sights that share a harmonious connection with the wind.

Jaime Mariko Nicely Cunnane

Manu Buddies Study: Flying Manu-o-Kū
Polymer clay, acrylic and resin
3.5x3.5x4 inch
​(24)

Summertime Soaring (Manu-o-Kū)
Watercolor on cold-pressed paper
11x14 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Ilana Nimz

Fresh Catch
Embroidery
3x3 inch
(35)
​
Nimz is an artistic marine ornitharborist (seabird biologist and arborist that likes to do art). Nimz sees and appreciates Manu o ku in her daily tree work.

Michelle Obregon

Wings of Hope
Acrylic on canvas
16x20 inch
(36)

Based in Kailua Kona, Hawai'i, Michelle Obregon is a distinguished muralist, painter and arts educator renowned fo her compelling public art installations and visual storytelling. With a vibrant career spanning over four decades, Obregon's work harmoniously blends acrylic paint, ceramic tiles, and digital media to explore themes of environment, animal welfare, and the celebration of life and culture. 

Obregon's artistic journey is marked by her commitment to creating meaningful, community-focused works that resonat across different cultures and eras. Her notable public art projects include "Bridging the Pacific" (2006) in Kealakekua, Hawai'i, a tile mural that poignantly illustrates the connection between Hawai'i and Okinawa. In Los Angeles, she created "Crow and Ravens, Connections to the Past" (1997), an acrylic mural that delves into the intricate ties between history and nature. Her 2011 piece, "Never Again," a powerful acrylic on board mural located in Captain Cook, Hawai'i, reflects her dedication to conveying poignant human stories of hope. Lastly, "1000 Cranes," a tile mural celebrating the hopes and dreams of South Kona. 

Obregon's work is a celebration of life's diverse narratives, encompassing the environment, cultural heritage, and community bonds. Her murals are not merely artistic expressions but are also intended as a dialogue with the past, present and future, aiming to foster a deeper connection between viewers and their surroundings. 

Through her innovative use of materials and her focus on impactful storytelling, Michelle Obregon continues to make significant contributions to the field of public art, leaving an indelible mark on the communities she engages with. As a high school teacher on the big island for the past 25 years, Obregon encourages her students to explore their surroundings and culture as inspiration for their art projects. 

Devin Oishi

Ka manu o Kū i ka napoʻo ʻana o ka lā a me ka puka ʻana o ka mahina- manu o ku at sunset and moonrise
Digital photography and painting
8.5x10.5
​(40)

'Uhane o manu o Kū
Plastic
16x20x20 inch
(Digital slideshow)

I began making art at 3 years old. Soon after I began studying natural history, history, and culture. I have included animals in paintings, books, sculptures, photography, installations, etc.

I often refer to He Kumulipo, the inspirational creation story of Hawaiʻi, that records the genealogy of creatures beginning with coral and ending with human families. I illustrated this chant with the help of students and the community in collaborative murals, books, and my individual work including paintings, sculpture, and ceramics.

I teach art in many media: drawing, painting, photography, multimedia, sculpture, etc. . . but especially ceramics. Teaching has become another medium in which I try to pass on not only skills and technique but technology, culture, and science that builds our civilization in a way that reminds us that we are related to everything and everything around us is essentially one unified infinite life form.

Artist Statement:
Ka manu o Kū i ka napoʻo ʻana o ka lā a me ka puka ʻana o ka mahina- manu o ku at sunset and moonrise
While taking a photo of the sun setting and illuminating a flower cloud I saw the Manu o Kū in the clouds. I also noticed the moon was there! I added a little detail to the tern to bring him out. The timing was great because this is when they are coming in for a night's rest. The moon and sun together reminds us of the cycle of life and guide all life on our journeys.

‘Uhane o manu o Kū 
Thinking about our trash problem I saw a broken clear plastic dish drain tray. It was all taped up as a stop gap repair. I took it and cut the ghost of a manu o kū. I emphasized his spirit by tracing his form with all kinds of plastic scrap and mostly dried up ancient glue.

As I looked through the ghost I took a bottle and attached a bunch more plastic to it with tape that had lost most of its adhesiveness from age. The ghost took 3-D form.

Jessica Orfe

Dreamer
Acrylic on canvas board
11x14 inch
​(16)
​
Jessica began drawing at a young age, inspired by nature, wildlife, natural phenomena, and a desire for understanding those things. She loves illustrating various creatures and getting out into ‘the wild’ to spot them. Finding patterns and similarities in plant forms, animal anatomies, or landscapes connects us to a bigger picture, an interwoven planetary web. Her work is versatile in medium and scale, ranging from traditional paintings, designs, book illustrations, to murals.

Jordan Paguirigan

Ollie the Manu-o-Kū
Needle felting
7.5x3 inch
(6)

Jordan is a multi-media artist based out of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi specializing in fiber, sculpture, ceramics, graphic design and is a cultural practitioner of ulana lau hala (Native Hawaiian weaving). He received his Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture and Expanded Practices in 2025 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Living in Hawaiʻi's rich and vibrant landscape, Jordan finds inspiration in having a strong relationship to the land and to the people. When creating work, he chooses to use items that are either recycled, found, or made of natural materials. His art lives with the inbetween, balancing on the contrasts of themes; Soft vs. Hard, Color vs. Monochrome, Bad vs. Evil, Creative vs. Analytical, and Organic vs. Synthetic. 

Artist Statement: 
When working in the studio at the University of Hawaiʻi, I would always catch glimpses of the Manu-o-Kū flying aroujnd campus and living in the kukui trees. I sat in front of a window working one day while a baby nestling waited for its parents to come by and feed it. It sat patiently as commuting students walked to and fro between classes on their bikes and skateboards below the tree where it perched. It was in this moment where I had a silly thought; if a Manu-o-Kū went to college, what would it study, and how would it go to class?

Challys Pascual

Brood
Gouache on paper
6x8 inch
(8)

Costanza Pernigotti

Manu o Kū Soaring Above Ala Moana Boulevard
Fineliner pens and alcohol markers
11x14 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Doug Perrine

Untitled (5)
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

Dr. Cat Peterson

Untitled (2)
Photography
​(Digital slideshow)

Esperance Rakotonirina

Snack Time
Acrylic
16x20 inch
​(22)

Lonely Stand
Oil
16x20 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Esperance Rakotonirina was born in Madagascar, an island of diverse flora and fauna. Madagascar provides the inspiration for Esperance's art. 

I lived in Madagascar until I moved to Hawaiʻi with my wife in 2010. During my university and post graduate education in agro ecotourism management and English in Madagascar I expanded my art to include murals, national parks logos and paintings for tourists, and local gift shops. 

In those days, my medium was actually gasoline which I used to thin the oil paints and I used a small branch as a paint brush. 

My paintings come from what inspires me the most - the flora and fauna of Hawaiʻi, especially two of my favorite place to paint, Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden in Kaneohe and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. 

I won several awards from Association of Hawaiʻi Artists and Windward Artist Guild. 

Esperance's art can be found online: 
[email protected]
808-683-9990
Instagram: artbyesperance

Sasha Lynn Roberts

Ringing in Light
​Acrylic on monkeypod wood
5x5 inch
(Digital slideshow)
​​
www.sasheisty.com

Michiyo Sato-Young

Waikīkī
Watercolor and paper
9.8x11.8 inch
(Digital slideshow)
​
At the core of my artistic practice lies a sincere belief in art's capacity to nurture compassion. Through my work, I hope to create visual experiences that resonate with viewers on an emotional level, inspiring a ripple effect of empathy that extends beyond the immediate viewing experience. This approach to art as a catalyst for human connection reflects both my Japanese cultural heritage and my global • perspective.

Kaylen Saucedo

Manu o Kū at Mom's Work
Colored pencil
9x12 inch

Kaylen is a student at Kapiʻolani Community College.

Artist Statement:
​I have always noticed Manu o Ku birds and thought they were beautiful. My mom would often tell me about the ones near her work and take pictures of them, since a family of Manu o Ku were living in a tree outside, including a baby.
I made this piece using gouache and colored pencils. I started with a gouache underpainting to quickly sketch the composition and block in darker tones, then layered colored pencil to add finer details. I chose to focus closely on the birds to capture their features and highlight their delicate details.

Ryan Schulz

Sloppy Joe
​Ink on paper
9.5x5.5 inch
​(14)

Michelle Schwengel-Regala

Vocalization as a Spectrogram (Gygis alba)
Metalpoint drawing on archival waterproof field notebook paper
16 11/16 x 19 11/16 inch
​(23)
​
Michelle Schwengel-Regala is from the edge of the Driftless Zone in Wisconsin. During college at UW-Madison she learned about silverswords, honeycreepers, and ʻalalā. As an Artist-at-Sea aboard R/V Falkor for a month-long voyage between Honolulu and Pape'ete, she kept her eyes and ears open for manu o kū. Her interdisciplinary practice includes scientific and medical illustration, sculpture, installation, and participatory project offerings.

Artist Statement:
This seemingly "abstract" art may not appear to fit the theme, but it represents one of the ways manu o kū can be perceived in their environment. Even before visual location is possible, a bird's vocalizations can indicate its presence. Transcriptions of bird call recordings (spectrograms) map pitch and loudness over time. This metalpoint drawing of a white tern call's spectrogram was made with aluminum -- a reference to the metal content of the lightweight leg bands often used to identify, relocate, and study the life of an individual bird. The drawing's format is oriented horizontally ("landscape") but the illustration is indeed a "portrait."

Allegra Kanna Scribner

Mālama ke Kai for Manu o Kū
Plastic 
4x6 inch
​(33)

Allegra Kanna Scribner is a born and raised Kaua’i-based artist working under the name 'Ōpala Art. Her work draws from Hawai’i’s deep traditions of caring for place, as she reimagines washed l-up plastic pollution into original artworks that explore stewardship, kuleana, and preservation.

Amaya Serrano

Family Time
Acrylic, colored pencil and acrylic markers
12x18 inch
(IX)
​
Amaya Serrano is a 14-year-old 8th grader at SEEQS Public Charter School. Her interests are dance, studying birds, volleyball, and swimming. She volunteers as a citizen scientist for Hui Manu o Kū by surveying Manu o Kū in trees in urban Honolulu and she volunteers to count Kōlea for the Hawaiʻi Audubon Society. She hopes to become an ornithologist.

Artist Statement:
​“Family Time” portrays three Manu o Kū sharing time together. The artwork was inspired by a photo I took near my house of a Manu o Kū chick and parents. I used acrylic paint for the background and colored pencils and Posca acrylic-based markers for the foreground birds. The markers help to make the white of the birds more vibrant and the colored pencils were used for small details and blending of feathers and colors. I volunteer as a citizen scientist for Hui Manu o Kū by surveying Manu o Kū in trees in urban Honolulu and I volunteer to count Kōlea for the Hawaiʻi Audubon Society. I am inspired by my volunteer work because it helped me discover how to observe things that other people may not notice, like the Manu o Kū chick near my house. My goal is for people to feel calm and peaceful when they look at my artwork.

Nicole Seu

flight
Photography
11x14 inch
​(30)

Joyce Skibum

Untitled (2)
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

Angelica Somera

Wayfinding for Sustenance
Watercolor and gouache
11.5x7.5 inch
​(17)
​
I had found out about these beautiful birds from my community and time at Honolulu Community College. One of our English professors wrote a poem of the Manu o Kū. At the time, I hadn't been aware we had them frolicking throughout the skies above our campus. After hearing the poem, I finally noticed them and have been fascinated by them since. In fact, as one of my graduating class's commencement speakers, I based my speech on the Manu o Kū! 

Joy Hauʻoli Lee Sutherland

Precious Manu o Kū
Procreate mixed media brushes - Acrylic/Oil
20x16 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Wes Suzawa

Air Brakes
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

Grooming 
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

High Flyer
Photography 
​(Digital slideshow)

Ohana
Photography 
(Digital slideshow)

Zen
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

Shogun Takao

Manu-O-Ku
Sharpie, crayon and acrylics
8.5x11 inch
​(III)

Shogun Takao is 10-years-old and a fourth grader at Punahou School. He loves Native Hawaiian birds and plants, and in his free time when he is not drawing, Shogun enjoys skateboarding and playing soccer.

Artist Statement: 
In my piece, "Manu o Ku," I wanted to show how much I love Native Hawaiian birds! I see many Manu o Ku flying around at school, and they are so wonderful to watch. I wanted to make six different panels in my art, each using a different type of medium to show how much I love the Manu o Ku.

Jenny "Jeta" Tang

Urban Nest
Circuit board assemblage on wood panel
16x20 inch
(Digital slideshow)

Jenny “Jeta” Tang is a Hawaiʻi-based interdisciplinary artist working across sculpture, installation, creative technology, and performance. Her practice centers on sustainable modes of art-making and the reuse of discarded materials.

Artist Statement:
"Urban Nest" was assembled from salvaged circuit boards and wiring that would otherwise become electronic waste, a growing source of environmental pollution. The piece reflects how urbanization threatens the habitat of the manu o kū.

Honolulu Waldorf School

Grade 4 students. 
(XII, XIII, XIV, XV)

Kimie Yoshikawa

Manu ʻOhana
Acrylic on canvas
12x12
​(VII)

Kimie Yoshikawa is ten years old and lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. She enjoys capturing the beauty that surrounds her through art.

Artist Statement: 
Manu 'Ohana represents the unwavering love of her own family and the resilience of the sea birds’ adaptation to the modern world. 

Cora Young

Banded Tern, B3, Feeding its Chick
Photography
(Digital slideshow)

Red Banded Tern Feeds its Chick
Photography
(Digital slideshow)