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Photo By: Photo by Brennan Purtzer
Kealoha Pa shows off one of hi
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Though a large portion of Kealoha Pa's unique artwork reflects his Hawaiian birth and background, it was an ancient Japanese technique that inspired the unique batik on wood style he favors.
"I was always into art," Pa says, "but I saw this process being used in a jewelry box factory and I knew it was what I wanted to do."
The technique is nearly identical in every way to the more common practice of using the batik process on fabric, down to the use of fabric dyes to create the vibrant colors in his creations.
Perhaps the only difference, in fact, is Pa's use of a variety of tight grain woods, such as maple or birch, as the foundation.
Pa currently creates an average of two to three original pieces per day, most reflecting his Hawaiian, English or Chinese descent.
With an ever increasing number of pieces being sold through his Web site, www.studiokealoha.com, his reputation has spread far beyond the shores of Hawaii.
"I think I've been fortunate enough to touch all corners of the world already, from Saudi Arabia to Japan," he says.
And in case you didn’t know, you, too, have probably seen Pa's work.
His pieces are currently displayed all around Moloka’i in including The Cookhouse, Paddlers’ Inn, the Fine Art Gallery and Coffees of Hawaii, where we caught up with him last week as the featured artist.
"I'm like a kid in the sandbox," he says as he explains his outlook on his work, "I get paid to play."
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