Hawai‘i Nei Art Exhibition

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Hawai‘i Nei Art Exhibition

A juried art exhibition celebrating the native species of Hawaiʻi Island from Nov 1 - Dec 12

Hawai‘i Nei is an annual juried art exhibition featuring native species at the Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center in Hilo. This community geared event is open to all residents of the Island of Hawai‘i. Children and adults are encouraged to submit works of art featuring the plants and animals native to our island. This event seeks to raise awareness of Hawaiʻiʻs unique environment and increase partici

pation in the arts. A portion of the proceeds generated by art sales during the exhibition will go towards funding native species protection and management as well as environmental education programs.

05/29/2026

Koa
By Heather Westbrook
Digital illustration

Artist Statement: As an artist, I am deeply inspired by the natural world and the quiet stories it tells through form, pattern, and texture. My work explores the intersection of nature, design, and perception—how we see, how we connect, and how we are moved by the environments around us. With a background in photography and a lifelong relationship with the outdoors, I approach my art as both a visual storyteller and an adventurer. My creative journey began in Michigan, drawing Disney characters as a child, and has evolved through years of exploration—from the backcountry trails of the mainland to the rich cultural landscapes of Hawai‘i, where I have lived and worked for over 10 years. In 2023, I founded HW Designs to merge my dual passions: art and nature. Through digital illustration, I seek to highlight the beauty in the overlooked, offering viewers a fresh perspective rooted in wonder and curiosity. Inspired by the Hawaiian quilt, my designs reflect this mission—each repeating pattern contains a story, a reflection of place, culture, and connection. Koa celebrates Hawaiʻi’s koa tree, a keystone species of upland forests. With the koa bug, ʻAkiapōlāʻau, and ʻAlawī woven into a kaleidoscopic-like tapestry, the design reflects strength, resilience, and the ecological and cultural balance sustained by this vital tree.

05/01/2026

Wiliwili of Waikōloa
By Camren Cambra
Acrylic

Artist Statement: The subject of this painting is dear to me because of the journey I have had with this plant under my kumu hula, who taught me how to gather the beautiful seeds and make lei. Highly endangered and largely unsung in popular media, I want people to appreciate the alien beauty of the wiliwili and care about its preservation. Wiliwili is endemic to the high elevation dry forests of Hawaiʻi. This painting depicts a single flower in full bloom, illuminated by the sun, against a deep cerulean midday sky.

04/24/2026

Kilo Pilina
By Kait Young
Watercolor

Artist Statement: This watercolor painting showcases Māmaki (Pipturus albidus), standing tall against cloudy skies. Pulelehua (Vanessa tameamea) dance nearby. One butterfly stands out against a bright blue break in the clouds while the other camouflages itself on a Māmaki leaf, where it finds shelter and nourishment. This painting is framed in a solid wood Koa frame (not pictured) hand crafted by me. Pulelehua feeds on the sap of the Koa tree. This piece showcases the relationship between 3 native Hawaiian species: Māmaki, Pulelehua, and Koa, which is why it is titled “Kilo Pilina”. I am an admirer of the interconnectedness of nature, it has always been my greatest muse. I looked upon the Māmaki plants in my garden while painting this piece, to get the patterns, colors, and identifying characteristics as accurate as possible. Gardening and creating art are my passions, and they truly go hand in hand. I hope my artwork inspires others to mālama i ka ‘āina, to respect and care for the land.

04/17/2026

Untitled (Koa)
By Ajna Joy Ch'iu Lichau
Sumi ink and 23k gold leaf on BK Rives cotton paper

Artist Statement: After a several years with my hands in the soil actively cultivating and taking care of a small and young native forest of ‘Ō̄hiʻa Lehua and Koa, my appreciation for each plants’ details and shapes in their leaves and flowers inspired me to want to translate a moment of their essence to paper. I wanted to create images using simple materials that didn’t need the harsh chemicals of photography. Through my experimentation and process, I came to these current art works on paper: Flora prints/Hawaiian native & canoe plants and Dew Prints/Imagined Landscapes. Unlike monotypes or monoprints, no plates or images on a smooth non-absorbent surface is used in my process of making these very spontaneous pieces on paper; however, I do use tools such as plant materials (i.e. leaves, flowers, fibers, pollen), paper, water/dew, dust and fabric to remove sumi ink from the paper while simultaneously leaving an imprint. With my Flora prints, it’s a slow overnight process that I cannot see or predict knowingly. It takes over 24hrs from making the piece to being completely dry for me to see what has become of it. Not all pieces make it to my table where I add the concluding layers of gold leaf. Initially I was attracted to adding gold leaf to these pieces to add light and a resemblance of water. The physical properties of gold touch on the long and deep history of economic value, cultural significance throughout the world and the biological theory that humans are drawn to shiny objects because of our ancestral need to find water. The origins of sumi ink go back over 2,000 years beginning in China. My ancestral connection to China is very obscure and has mostly been lost through my family's disconnection through our history and each other. From my experimental use of these historical, simple and refined materials, I hope to offer a fresh perspective from my process of making these pieces that offer a visceral experience while being grounded with details of familiarity from plants of this beautiful ʻāina.

04/02/2026

ʻAukuʻu with Manu o Kū
By Vivian Eckard
Acrylic on canvas
High School Winner

Artist Statement: The manu o kū are used as simplistic silhouettes that act as a repeating pattern framing the ʻaukuʻu, as well as visually bordering the composition. I chose to leave spontaneous and loose brush strokes to add more visual interests to the piece.

03/25/2026

Sea Samurai
By Julian Tobey
Colored pencil, black and colored ink pens
Middle School Winner

Artist Statement: The warriors in my piece are warrior representations of the animals behind them. Wrasse Warrior and Wana Warrior.

03/11/2026

Enjoying The View
By Cody Yamaguchi
Photography Winner

Artist Statement: Cody Yamaguchi sees the world through a lens of wonder, where every crashing wave, every molten river of lava, and every misty rainforest holds a story waiting to be told. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawai‘i, he grew up surrounded by the raw, untamed beauty of the Big Island, a place that fueled his endless curiosity and deep connection to nature. From an early age, he wasn’t just an observer of the world, he was captivated by its intricate details, its contrasts, its movement. His artistic journey began with black and white charcoal drawings, where he first discovered the power of light and shadow. At just eight years old, he entered his first art exhibit and placed second, a moment that ignited a lifelong pursuit of creativity. Over the years, his artistic expression evolved, leading him to explore different mediums before finding his true passion photography. Through his lens, Cody doesn’t just capture landscapes; he preserves fleeting moments of nature’s power and grace, moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. His work has earned recognition in multiple local art competitions, including the Fine Arts Department award at Waiākea High School and 1st Place and Best Nature at the Hawai‘i Photography Show in 2019. But for Cody, photography is not about accolades it’s about feeling. It’s about standing in the presence of something greater than ourselves, witnessing the ever changing beauty of the islands, and sharing that experience with others. Every image he creates is an invitation, an invitation to step into a world of untamed beauty, to see nature’s energy and emotion through his eyes, and to connect with the land in a way that is both powerful and deeply personal. His journey is far from over, and with every frame, he continues to chase the essence of Hawai‘i, one breathtaking moment at a time.

03/04/2026

ʻApapane
By Arie Yonemitsu
Watercolor
Upper Elementary Winner

Artist Statement: A bird that represents how my Papa always looked after me.

02/26/2026

Kāhuli Moon
By Daniel Moe
Blown & sand carved glass
3D Winner

Artist Statement: My work honors the deep connection between Hawaiian culture and nature, where every form of life carries meaning and memory. I was drawn to the Blackburn’s Sphinx Moth because it was once believed extinct, then rediscovered—an emblem of resilience and quiet survival. That story echoes through my process of blown and sand-carved glass, a medium shaped by breath, fire, and transformation. The moth’s delicate strength mirrors the fragility and endurance of Hawaiʻi’s native species and culture. Through light, form, and carving, I aim to capture that balance—honoring what endures, even when it’s nearly lost, and celebrating the living spirit of these islands.

lononuiakea HawaiiIsland Hawaiiartists nativespecies oiwi endemic indigenous flora fauna meakanu holoholona malamaaina alohaaina watershedprotection hawaiiconservation preservehawaii ainakumuwai supportthearts

02/25/2026

ʻAlaʻihi
By Kaʻiulani Kanamu
Watercolor & ink
Lower Elementary Winner

lononuiakea HawaiiIsland Hawaiiartists nativespecies oiwi endemic indigenous flora fauna meakanu holoholona malamaaina alohaaina watershedprotection hawaiiconservation preservehawaii ainakumuwai supportthearts

Address

200 Piopio Street
Hilo, HI
96720

Website

http://www.hawaiineiartexhibition.org/

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