Pow! Wow! Hawaii 2014

I've always admired the murals in Kaka'ako, but never saw them being painted. Last week, I got the chance during the Pow! Wow! Hawaii event that was held in the area. Artists from far away as New Zealand descended on Kaka'ako to change the landscape with their visions. I went around on Tuesday and Friday to take photos of the artists painting, and got to chat with a couple of them (Tanya & Remi) while they painted. It's pretty cool because some artists have their murals pre-planned on their phones or on paper, while others just build their vision on-site. The air was filled with the smell of spray paint and acrylic paint, and every conceivable color graced the walls...it was a cool experience! 

Tanya is from New Zealand, and collaborated with a couple other artists on a Hawaiian themed mural. They had everything planned before coming, doing Skype calls and sending PDF drafts back and forth to finalize the design. 

Remi was born in Okinawa, but currently resides here on Oahu. This is her second Pow! Wow! event, and she decided to a portrait of an Okinawan girl to tie in her heritage. Remi loves bright colors and rabbits, and always finds ways to incorporate both elements into her work.