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Art and Soul for the Earth from the Big Island of Hawai'i
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Happy New Year 2025
Warmest aloha dear ones and Happy New Year!
Thank you for joining us in this labor of love for the Earth honoring Native Hawaiian culture ~ a journey celebrating the restoration of nature and community through public art...Together, we are creating something meaningful and impactful!
From my ‘ohana to yours, we wish you a very Happy New Year filled with good health, love, laughter, and abundance...May we shine our Light, nurture our Earth, and manifest creativity and compassion as we work toward a healthier, more just and peaceful world. ..In this newsletter, we will share:
- The Completion of the 8.5' 'Ulu Mandala
- Lava Base (Light at the Center of the Earth)
- The Art Summit at NELHA
- The Native Tree Arches - Wall 1 Sandalwood and Koai'a
- Wall 1 Elements 'Cast in Stone'
- Pedestrian Buffer - Dry Reflecting Pool - Wall 1
- Wall 2 Tree Arches Begin - Kukui and Māmane
- What is the Mural Really About? - The Forest!
- A PhD in Service to Nature
- Introducing New Team Members
Aloha pumehana,
Calley O’Neill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . ..This newsletter will take you 3-4 minutes to skim.
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Happy New Year from our A-Team (left to right) Lorraine, Noa, Julie Anne, Naghme, Julia, Lamar, Calley, and Chris. | |
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COMPLETION OF THE ''ULU (BREADFRUIT) MANDALA
SPACE
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Exactly one year ago, Calley began the 'Ulu mandala drawing. | | |
To ensure strong adhesion, the backs of the ‘Ulu are horizontally scored. | |
Handcrafted in the kiln, each 'Ulu is unique in size and shape, and requires attention to detail to fit its place precisely. | | |
'Iwalani McCalla came to the studio to understand the mural process by working with us...''Iwa is our star when it comes to fundraising...Here she is tracing mylar patterns on gold glass. | |
Volunteers from the community are a welcome and integral part of our success...Many hands make light work...Julie Anne's son, James, came to work with us on a college break. | |
The emerald green 'jewels' gracing the center of the mandala were a lucky find in a jar at our local post office...Intended to hold pens, the jewels were covered with ink...Julia spotted them and offered to beg, borrow, or steal a few for the mandala...The postal workers were delighted to see them elevated into public art. | |
Calley doing the final fitting for the 'wings' of the mandala centerpiece. | | |
Mosaic taping day is a joyful milestone, as the heavy-duty tape secures the glass pieces in preparation for thinsetting. | |
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WALL 1 - LIGHT AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH -
BASE FOR THE 'ULU MANDALA
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Kumu Keala Ching envisioned the base as the Light at the Center of the Earth, which was quite a design challenge for Calley until, several years in, she saw how certain lava flows echo tree roots...Her intuition was confirmed when she learned that under their outer skin, the roots of the 'Ulu tree are orange, used as dyes in times gone by...Calley is especially pleased with the innovative mixed media of upcycled wine bottles, local lava, and stained glass Pele. |
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WE BRING OUR WORK TO THE ART SUMMIT AT NELHA - HONORING THEIR 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION
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In October, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i Authority celebrated 50 years of work in sustainability, marine science, renewable energy, conservation, and food security...Calley was invited to bring her team, set up shop, and work for the community. | | |
Kumu Keala Ching’s opening ‘oli (chant) | |
Naghme, Julia, Lamar and Calley | |
Working on the Wall 1 ‘Iliahi (Sandalwood) and Koai’a Native Tree Arches, people were excited to see the intricate mosaic process and many subscribed to follow our progress. | | |
Amber and Nui Kanuha, nephew to the late Junior Kanuha, portrayed on Wall 7...We recognized Nui's strong resemblance to his uncle, as he shared relevant family history. | |
Father-daughter duo Damon and Devon Delaney’s painted dry reflecting pools will provide a protective buffer to keep people at arm's length from the walls. | |
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COMPLETION OF WALL 1 NATIVE HAWAIIAN TREE ARCHES
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For the top corners of each wall, Calley is designing Native Hawaiian Tree Arches, including Hawaiian birds, most of which are endangered or extinct...The background of the tree arches and mandala is the luminous KOA Gold glass that Calley designed in collaboration with Bullseye Glass in Portland, Oregon...Mahalo nui to the Kasser Family for sponsoring the tree arches. | |
Julia teaches community volunteer, artist Beth McCormick, to secure the 'cartoon' (base pattern) onto the WEDI. | |
Above, the Hawai'i 'Amakihi is a resilient native honeycreeper, known as a generalist that thrives in diverse habitats, embodying hope for Hawaiian forest bird conservation...Right, the critically endangered (IUCN Red List) Palila is revered in Hawaiian tradition...Palila depend on the ancient Māmane tree, symbolizing the fragile interdependence between species and vanishing ecosystems. | |
With the base pattern mounted securely onto the WEDI board and coated with Aleene's Tack-it, it's time to cut the mylar pattern pieces for the hundreds of pieces of glass for each mosaic segment. | | |
Each mylar pattern piece must be traced. on glass with a paint pen, and then refined using a stylus or exacto blade to ensure accurate cutting. Notice the straight through-line in between those two sets of leaves (top, left)...That gets cut first. |
Local Interior Designer Kathleen Thoene is our Puzzle Master. We save the pieces for her to place, as it is one of her super powers. |
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Sandalwood blossoms are hidden treasures...Estimates suggest nearly 98% of native sandalwood forests have been destroyed due to overharvesting, deforestation, and land use changes...Inspired by Georgia O'Keefe's style, Calley portrayed the flowers in monumental size to invite people to appreciate these tiny jewels. | |
Naghme uses a Gemini Taurus 3 Ring Saw for intricate cuts...Some glass is temperamental and doesn't lend itself to hand cutting. | |
Calley traces the bird patterns for cutting and refines the delicate beak on the grinder. | |
With its vibrant crimson plumage and melodic songs, the 'Apapane flits tirelessly between blossoms, a vital pollinator sustaining Hawai'i's native forests. Lamar Yoakum is a master stained-glass artisan. With over 40 years of experience, Lamar is fast, accurate, and the most highly skilled stained glass craftsman in Hawai'i. | |
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THE 'ULU MANDALA SET IN STONE
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After months of preparation, it’s all hands on deck to back-butter and thinset the segment on WEDI...This day requires intense focus and evokes joyous celebration, | |
To adhere to the State's requirement of invisible museum-level permanent installation, the mural segments are affixed to the wall with stainless steel 316 or titanium concrete screws into stainless steel WEDI washers...Kathleen is back-buttering the ‘plugs’ (gold glass washer covers) with a thin slurry of thinset. and placing the plugs back into the segment to check them. | |
With back-buttering well underway, professional installer Chris Springer and his mural assistant Noa Eads apply Laticrete 264, the ultimate thinset, to adhere the glass to the WEDI. | |
Setting the ‘Ulu was a challenge well met by Chris and Naghme, who had worked on fitting each of the 16 distinct ‘Ulu in its place. .. The ‘Ulu was hand-cast in wine bottle glass...(see last newsletter). | |
Once the thinset is cured, we remove the mosaic tape and clean residue from the grout lines. | |
Our long-time, long-distance studio assistant Sandi Playsted works twice a week for four months while in Hawai'i each year. | |
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GROUTING THE LAVA
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Calley went through several applicators before she found one that worked to grout the glass into the lava...While Calley and Naghme finished grouting the lava, the rest of the team tackled the cleanup after thin-setting in preparation for grouting the 'Ulu mandala. | |
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'DRY REFLECTING POOLS' TO PROTECT
AND REFLECT THE MURAL
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Welcoming father-daughter duo Damon and Devon Delaney to the team...They are creating 'dry reflecting pools' at the base of the mural to provide a pedestrian traffic buffer. ..See their test sample below. |
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STAY TUNED AS THE WALL 2 NATIVE TREE ARCHES
AND HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE BEGINS
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We are very grateful to the Kasser Family for funding the native tree arches on all eight walls of the mural. | |
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The Wall 2 Native Tree Arches features Hawai'i’s State Tree, the Kukui, Tree of Light and Māmane with three extinct birds that were important to the Kona District: the Kona Grosbeak, Koa Finch, and Greater Koa Finch.
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IT'S A WRAP FOR 2024
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With Lorraine's assistance, Sandi directed the packing of the 'Ulu | |
We did it!..Packed and clear for 2025, completed before Christmas Eve. | |
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HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE MANDALA
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Now we all must become water conservers and water protectors.
Hannah Kihalani Springer
Stay tuned as the mural is about to take a leap in beauty and significance!..This week, construction begins on the final Water Wall 2 elements: the Kukui Tree Arches, as Calley works on the research and design of the Hydrological Cycle Mandala, a tribute to Kupuna Hannah Kihalani Springer’s request...Hannah is standing here with her son, Kekaulike Tomich, for water. Fresh water is precious...Water is wealth. Water is life...It’s time for all of us to step up and do our part to protect the water...Our actions today will shape the future of life on Earth.
This stained glass mosaic integrates science and traditional Hawaiian Ecological Knowledge, highlighting the deep connections between science, culture, and the critical importance of water.
If you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring the 8.5’ Hydrological Cycle Stained Glass Mosaic Mandala, please get in touch with Calley at (808) 987-7003.
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Dr. Jeff Zimpher, Environmental Protection Specialist, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Park weighed in on the hydrological cycle design concept. | |
Initial conceptual sketch. | |
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A PhD IN SERVICE OF NATURE
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Heartfelt congratulations to Dr. ‘Alohi Nakachi (Wall 3 Ocean Defender) for earning her PhD at the University of Hawai’i Manoa in Natural Resource and Environmental Management. After six years of effort, she brings this outstanding accomplishment to her work with The Nature Conservancy on Oahu to uphold Traditional Ecological Knowledge and continue work as an Ocean Defender with her family, The Moana Ohana. Bravo ‘Alohi!
We also acknowledge and congratulate her brother, Kaikea, who recently defended his MS degree from UHM in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science. Bravo Kaikea!
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WHAT IS THE MURAL REALLY ABOUT?
PU’UWA’WA’A FOREST PRESERVE:
OUTPLANTING NATIVE TREES
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The Kaimi Punihaole family, son of the late Kalo and vegetable farmer, Wall 7 Kupuna, Clayton Punihaole. | |
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While planting native trees in the Pu’uwa’awa’a Forest Preserve on Hualālai, I had a profound realization that deepened my vision for the mural and uplifted its potential to inspire and move people.
I learned so much from Outreach Coordinator Alysia Fisher and botanist Lily Stein Hawaiiensis, that I am inspired to work regenerating Native Hawaiian ecosystems...Restoring native dryland forests in Hawai’i ~ and around the world ~ is a daunting and noble endeavor.
98% of the world’s dry forests are extinct...Gorgeous, diverse, teeming with life ~ and gone.
Hearing this was heartbreaking...I had never heard the word 'extinct' applied. to forests...When I questioned her, Alysia shared a direct quote from the state:
"It is estimated that over 95% of native dryland forests in Hawai’i have been lost, and more conservative estimates say that there may only be 2 ~ 5% of this imperiled ecosystem remaining, making it the most endangered ecosystem in Hawai’i and the world."
When I again asked for confirmation, Alysia added:
"I say 98% because that number hasn’t been updated recently, and at the rate we are going, it’s likely that only 2% of native dryland forests remain. .. My colleagues and the researchers we work with typically use this number."
May these mural walls inspire reflection on the beauty of life, the gravity of what we’ve lost, and the hope of restoration...Let’s make this the year we each participate in replanting native forests, coastal ecosystems, and our own backyards. Find an area where you can grow your passion, community, and work for the land!.. This is the message of the mural...Together, we can work to restore what’s been lost ~ and one day create something even more beautiful.
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WELCOME NAGHME AND LORRAINE TO THE A-TEAM GLASS STUDIO ASSISTANTS
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Born in Iran, NAGHME NAJAFI (above left) escaped the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1988) with her family at the age of 11...Fleeing to upstate New York, they showed remarkable resilience as they began a new chapter surrounded by extended family... Naghme earned a BA in Psychology from NYSU at New Paltz while supporting herself as a youth counselor in a group home—a vocation she carried to North Carolina, where her hands found new purpose working in a team constructing large-scale stained glass windows.
In 1998, a visit to a friend on the Big Island of Hawai'i changed her life...Captivated by the island's beauty and spirit, she knew she had found a home and never left...Here, Naghme continued the demanding work of youth counseling before taking a break and working as a bartender...She designed and built three homes with her partner, investing in land, working, and taking on stained glass commissions.
Naghme and her husband, Sebastian, share a passion for homesteading and organic farming, a dream they’re growing into reality at their Volcano Island Farm...During COVID, they dedicated themselves to crafting organic gourmet Neapolitan pizzas with homemade sauces...Their artisan pizza catering company was born—now featuring handcrafted sourdough pizzas.
When Calley sought a skilled stained glass apprentice to carry forth the legacy of her long-time creative partner, master artisan Lamar Yoakum (80 years young and going strong), Naghme answered the call...With her experience, energy, and warm Persian-style aloha, Naghme has become a vital part of the A-team.
Yummy pizza, anyone? IG: @zansgrindz
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LORRAINE DUTTA was born in Philadelphia and raised in Vineland, New Jersey...In her early years, she spent three transformative years in India and traveled throughout Europe before earning a BA in Fine Art from Rowan University.
She dedicated 25 years to teaching art at a public high school and retired only to pioneer an art program at an all-boys private school, where she taught for another decade.
Along the way, she pursued graduate-level courses at the University of the Arts, excelling in silk screening, stained glass, metalwork, sculpture, clay, and jewelry design, including elegant pendants and silver cuffs.
Her passion for service extends beyond art, with years of volunteer work for the environment early on and currently through the Red Cross and Amurt/Amurtel, opening shelters and supporting women and children during disasters.
After experiencing the loss of her brother and a serious fall, Lorraine sought solace in Hawai'i...Here she found healing and rekindled her creative practices...She immersed herself in stained glass, dichroic glass, and jewelry...Her eldest brother, renowned ‘white honey man’ Richard Spiegel, introduced her to artist Calley O’Neill...Upon seeing a beautiful little stained glass mandala Lorraine was making, Calley invited her to join her team...Lorraine says she was thrilled to become part of this exceptional team creating the mosaics for the Kona Airport, a project to deepen her connection and understanding of the Hawaiian culture, environment, and Indigenous care of the land.
Lorraine credits this project, Calley, and the team with profoundly transforming her life and reigniting her passion for meaningful art....LorraineDutta2@comcast.net
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MAHALO A NUI LOA to HSFCA and our MAJOR DONORS
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Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
The Kasser Family
Nancy Mueller
The Healy Foundation
The O’Neill Foundation
The Kirk-Landry Charitable Fund
Atherton Family Foundation
Ray Schoenke
Marc Botticelli
Pelican’s Peace Company
Thank you to all of you who have donated funds for a Thin Blue Line Plaque!
We hope this newsletter has given you a glimpse of what it takes to do a mural of this size, scope, meaning, and character.
THERE IS STILL TIME TO WRITE AN INSCRIPTION FOR A PLAQUE ON WALL, ONE, as we cannot install Wall One until spring 2025 due to airport construction.
PLEASE PASS THIS NEWSLETTER ON to everyone in your circle who may enjoy knowing about this project, or someone with an interest and appreciation of the eco-cultural and inspirational potential impact of the mural.
Please RECOMMEND the MURAL TO A FOUNDATION or an ANGEL BENEFACTOR and recommend them to us...Sustainable tax-deductible donations are particularly welcome! ..We are grateful for your support! ..The mural is an old-world, labor-intensive highly crafted long-term project of great meaning and power. ..Please join us in this mighty endeavor.
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AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT CALLEY AND HER TEAM
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BE A PART OF THE FLOW!...SUPPORT THE KOA MURAL
There are five easy ways to support Calley and the mural and strengthen her voice for nature and our future.....Your monthly contribution of $5/month or more sustainably supports Calley directly on this monumental project as a passionate advocate for nature and traditional Indigenous wisdom.
Your contributions can add up to a life-changing salary for Calley and her team and offer you special gifts of gratitude.
1. PATREON LINK
2. INSTAGRAM
3. THE THIN BLUE LINE
4. SPECIAL ELEMENT PATRON
5. SHARE OUR UPDATES AND SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER
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BE A PART OF THE FLOW!
SUPPORTING THE MURAL ~
THE THIN BLUE LINE
If a picture is worth a thousand, you just read 115,000 words!
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KOA AIRPORT MURAL OHANA
(64 thus far)
So many hands have added their mana to this mural thus far, and here they are!
MAHALO A NUI LOA to each and every one of you! We couldn’t do it without you.
OUR CORE TEAM:
CALLEY O’NEILL
LAMAR YOAKUM
JULIA FAIRCHILD
LORRAINE DUTTA
NAGHME NAJAFI
NOA EADS
CHRIS SPRINGER
We gratefully acknowledge, appreciate, and thank:
HAWAI’I STATE FOUNDATION on CULTURE and the ARTS. Jon Johnson, Director Karen Ewald, Alexandra Skees, Calley’s Art Advisory Committee, and Project Manager, Living Building Architect, Aaron Ackerman
ELLISON ONIZUKA KONA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT KEAHOLE’s LEADERS, OPERATIONS, and SECURITY TEAM: Superintendent, Chauncey Wong Yuen, Assistant Superintendent, Cy Duvauchelle and their remarkable staff.
Mahalo David Bell, Dexter Espinueva, Lahela Lau, and teams for your support.
OUR BELOVED MURAL KUPUNA, those on and behind the wall guiding the mural to inspire us all
to live in harmony with nature and each other.
And, our COMMUNITY COLLABORATORS thus far:
ALEX ECKHART
ALEXIS RUSSELL
AMY O’MEARA
ATTICUS HIGGINS
BETH MC CORMICK
BRYAN GAZAUI
BUCKMAN COE
ELI O’MEARA
ANNABELLE URIBE
(he late) BEVERLY ARNTZEN
BULLSEYE GLASS
CASEY GRANT
DINA ALOHA
DEB THOMSPON
DOMIINIC HILMAN
ELIZABETH ROSE
‘IWALANI MC CALLA
JAMIE GOMER
JAZMIN HICKS
JEFF and JAKE CLOSS
JEFF QUINN
JEREMIAH HOLQUIJN
JOE AND ERIN CAVALETTO
JIMMY CHIA
JULIE ANN CHIA
KASEY GRANT
KATHLEEN THOENE
KEN CANNATA
LEE GLENNAN MOTTER
LEIANNA EADS
LILY CAVALETTO
LORRAINE DUTTA
LORETTA LINDEN
MARC BOTTICELLI
MICHAEL HESS
MIKE BURNETT, TNC
MOA KITCHEN
THE amazing NAN TEAM
NORTHWEST ART GLASS, Richard Mesmer, Matt and Missy Laitala, Joe and crew
OLIVER ZEICHNER
PEACH GODDARD
RACHEL WALKER
REDWING KEYSAR
ROSA GUZMAN
SANDI PLAYSTED
SHELLEY REAGAN
THOMAS HOLQUIN
VEENA HOPSON
VERONIKA BAJWA
VIRGIL MACY, LINCOLN KALAMA, WEST HAWAI’I CONCRETE
WENDY HAMILTON
ROCHELLE PITOY, XPRESS REPRO-GRAPHICS
MATTHEW PIERCE, WAIMEA INSTANT PRINTING
YASI ZEICHNER
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