Wishing you all the very best in 2024!
Huge thanks to you, my friends, family, clients, retailers, and wonderfully supportive community who rocked with me through a wild year! I hope 2024 brings you so much GOOD 💖
Rebuilding Lahaina for NBC News
What a way to wrap up 2023! NBC News reached out to 11 people (survivors, residents, government officials, and community members) to share their vision of what Lahaina’s future looks like after the devastating August ‘23 Maui wildfires —and I illustrated five of them:
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen: Prioritizing housing, childcare and wider pedestrian walkways
A principal and school leader: keeping the next generation local
A Filipino immigrant whose family of 50 was displaced: hope for more multigenerational housing
Preservationists restoring Hawaiian Kingdom-era structures: hopeful about rebuilding on top of former king’s lava rock and coral foundations
The tourism authority: pushing for increased agrotourism, allowing tourists to give back on their trip
➡️ The full article can be read on NBCNews.com here.
Mahalo nui art director, Chelsea Stahl!
❤️🩹 Please read my last post about how you can help Lahaina here.
✨Newsletter Giveaway!✨
With the holidays in full swing, I wanted to show a little appreciation with fun and exclusive newsletter giveaway!
It’s super simple, just subscribe to my newsletter and you’re automatically in the running! Easy peasy.
Three lucky winners will be chosen on December 15. Check out the prizes and official rules below.
Official Giveaway Rules
Giveaway Period
The official giveaway period begins on 12/05/2023, and ends on 12/15/2023, at 2:30pm (HST). (Collectively referred to as the "Giveaway Period").
Entry
1. No purchase or payment is necessary to enter the giveaway.
2. To enter, participants must be signed up for the official Kate Wadsworth Illustration & Design newsletter before 12/15/2023. Anyone who has subscribed before 12/5/2023 is automatically eligible for the giveaway.
3. Limit one entry per person. Multiple entries will disqualify the participant.
5. By entering, participants agree to abide by these Official Giveaway Rules.
Winner Selection
1. Winners will be selected through a random drawing from all eligible entries received during the Giveaway Period.
2. The drawing will be conducted by Kate Wadsworth on December 15, 2023 at 2:30pm (HST).
3. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
4. The winners will be notified via email within 2 hours after the drawing. If a winner does not respond within 48 hours after notification, an alternate winner may be selected.
Prizes
1. The prizes for this giveaway are:
Aloha From Hawaii Set ($80 value):
• 11x14in “Triple Crown” matted print
• Assorted greeting card 5 pack
• Shave Ice vinyl stickerWaterworks Set ($80 value)
• 12x12in “Opihi” matted print
• Waterworks Greeting card pack
• Snorkel Boy vinyl stickerI Lava You Set ($80 value):
• 8x10in “Kamokuna” matted print
• Futsin’ Around sticker pack
• Yeah You Rooster vinyl sticker
3. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable for cash or any other item.
4. Kate Wadsworth Illustration & Design reserves the right to substitute the prize with another of equal or greater value if necessary.
5. Any taxes, fees, or other expenses related to the prizes are the responsibility of the winner.
Privacy
Any personal information collected from participants during the giveaway will be used solely for the purpose of administering the giveaway and will not be disclosed to third parties without the participant's consent.
Limitation of Liability
Kate Wadsworth Illustration & Design and its respective officers, directors, employees, and agents are not responsible for any losses, damages, or injuries arising from or in connection with this giveaway or the acceptance, possession, or use of any prize.
Miscellaneous
1. This giveaway is subject to all applicable laws and regulations.
2. Kate Wadsworth Illustration & Design reserves the right to modify, cancel, or suspend the giveaway at any time without prior notice.
3. The decisions made by Kate Wadsworth Illustration & Design regarding any aspect of the giveaway are final and binding.
By participating in this giveaway, participants acknowledge that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by these Official Giveaway Rules.
Good luck & Happy Holidays! Aloha, Kate
Girls on Wheels!
🥳 It’s official! My first picture book, Girls on Wheels is here! I’m so excited to see it skate its way on to physical and digital bookshelves.
This book was written by the wonderful Srividhya Venkat, and illustrated by yours truly. The story is inspired by the real life skateboarding revolution happening in India, and follows three friends as they fly, fall, and find the courage to get back up on their boards and try again.
Or from the following vendors:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Bookshop.org, Hudson Booksellers, IndieBound, Target, Powell’s, Walmart
Check out our interview on the Picture Book Buzz
Maria Marshall chats with Srividhya Venkat and Kate Wadsworth + Review of Girls on Wheels.
Maui Needs Help
Last week, Maui and Big Island were hit with devastating wildfires. The fires on Maui have decimated the town of Lahaina. Close to 100 lives have been lost (numbers certain to rise) and thousands more have been displaced. Hundreds of homes, businesses, historical sites, and culturally significant areas have been destroyed.
As residents return to what’s left of their homes and communities, they are faced with unimaginable heartbreak. Rebuilding Lahaina will take years, if not decades. Right now, providing emergency relief is crucial for those affected by this disaster.
If you can, please donate to credible organizations, or directly to individuals/families in need. There are so many, but here are a few vetted organizations to consider:
Maui Mutual Aid
Maui Strong Fund
Maui United Way
Maui Food Bank
Maui Humane Society
Hawaii Red Cross
Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Lahaina_Ohana_Venmo (direct Venmo and GoFundMe links to individuals and families)
I will be donating 100% of my online August proceeds to a combo of the above.
🤍
"Futsin' Around" 5 Pack Vinyl Stickers!
It took a little bit of trial and error, but I’m so excited to announce this silly set of vinyl stickers, lovingly titled Futsin’ Around, is officially in the shop!
These babies are perfect for (but not limited to): water bottles, tumblers, laptops, skateboards, surfboards, windows, bumpers, journals, scrapbooks, street signs, and even the bathroom at your local bar🙃
These stickers are made of high quality vinyl and are great for indoor and outdoor use:
⭑ water bottle / dishwasher safe
⭑ UV protected so they will stay shiny and vibrant for up to 4 years
⭑ the vinyl is glossy and scratch-proof
⭑ If removed carefully, the stickers keep they're sticky and can be reapplied. (I’ve tested it!)
40th Annual Carmel Surfabout
If you happened to be in Carmel (California) this weekend, check out the 40th Annual Carmel Surfabout!
These guys found my Vans Triple Crown poster online and reached out to do a special poster inspired by it to commemorate 40 years of their surf competition —but with their local landmarks, like the cypress trees, 11th street bench/stairs, and the Frank Lloyd Wright house, to name a few.
I had lots of fun “walking” through Carmel by the Sea on google maps, and hope to see it in person one day!
Mahalo Andrew for connecting and good luck this weekend!
Hawaii Walls: my interactive skateboard mural @ Palama Settlement
Here’s an ultra condensed and very biased peek at Hawaii Walls 2023! (Formerly Pow! Wow! Hawaii).⚡️
This year was a little different but extra special. Mahalo Palama Settlement for welcoming us with open arms and big hearts. I hope my “interactive” skateboard mural encourages everyone to play for the sake of play, at any age. I loved seeing everyone shred the gnar🤘
I also hope that the kids I met at Palama can see a piece of themselves in my little skater girl. May she serve as a reminder or a channel to their inner badass, fearless, send-it energy —or that of a sister, friend, cousin, mother, loved one. When life is a roller coaster, grip tight and lean into those ups and downs.
None of it would be possible without the hard work of Jasper and Amy Wong. You two are the wind beneath our wings. You provide giant canvases and giant possibilities to so many artists (current and aspiring), and inspiration to a new generation who might not have otherwise been exposed to the power of art. Mahalo for the insane amount of work it takes to run such an event, and big shout out to all of the volunteers who helped things run as smoothly as they did (lookin at you Drea, Jesse, Alex and Koa).
I say it every year, but Hawaii Walls is like summer camp, a very special space for this ol introvert to reconnect with local friends and to meet new ones from far away. Many thanks to my wall neighbors for keeping spirits high, and providing the best lunchtime laughs: @reckonshop @klyonsnatborn @punkyaloha @matthewtapia @welcomestrangerco @kailahogawa@wooden_wave @paintedpatrick
💛💛💛
Hawaii Walls is proudly supported by:
@hawaiianairlines @monsterenergy @monstermusic@waikikibeachcomber @montanacans @montanacans_usa @citymill @alohagasltd @toyotahi @thinkspace_art
A&E Equipment @hawaiianairlines @outriggerresorts @thecreativecityorg @kapalamakai @uniqlo_hawaii @xlargejp @jpghawaii @waiakea @theboldface @fomomofonft @hawaiiantelcom Omidyar Ohana Johnson Ohana @zippys @foodlandhi @redefined.media
Lucky 7 Grateful Dead Tribute Concert poster
Happening tonight! May 7th 2023, The Stephen Inglis Project recreates the Grateful Dead’s May 7th, 1977 Boston Garden concert in its entirety at the Waikiki Shell Amphitheater, in Kapiolani Park.
I had lots of fun learning about the band and hiding iconic easter eggs/Dead references around the illustration. Mahalo Mark Tarone for the fun project!
You can find more info about the concert here, and shop t-shirts and posters here.
Art Wave @ Greenroom Gallery Diamond Head
I’m excited to team up with the fine folks at Greenroom Gallery Diamond Head for their January Art Wave pop-up in a couple of weeks! I’ve put together a collection of matted prints, framed originals, and a couple of new paintings that will be on display (and for sale).
The event is one night only, and free to attend —also kid and pet friendly!
Date: January 21st, 2023
Time: 6PM - 9PM
Location: Greenroom Gallery & Knots Coffee Roasters (Inside of Queen Kapiolani Hotel)
150 Kapahulu Ave Honolulu, HI 96815
Hope to see you there!
New Sticker Drop!
Happy to announce I’ve added vinyl stickers to the shop!
These babies are waterproof (dishwasher safe), scratch-proof, and UV protected (stays vibrant for up to 4 years!)
Shop vinyl stickers here:
Waimea Wave (OOPS, discounted misprint)
Girls On Wheels Cover Reveal!
This has to be the coolest announcement I've ever made... a dream project that I have been working on for the past year. Here is the cover reveal of Girls on Wheels, my first picture book! Published by Kokila (an imprint of Penguin Random House ...what!??)
Written by the wonderful Srividhya Venkat, the book is inspired by the skateboarding revolution in India, and follows three little girls as they fly, fall, and find the courage to get back up on their boards and try again.
I'm so stoked to have helped bring Sana, Anila and Damini to life, under the excellent guidance of Art Director Jasmin Rubero and Executive Editor Joanna Cárdenas🙏
Girls On Wheels will officially be available next August, but is currently up for pre-order online at the following retailers:
Los Angeles Times
Very excited to have an editorial illustration published by the L.A. Times!
The illustration was featured in the L.A. Affairs section, a popular segment about dating and love. The corresponding article, written by Dawn Stutzman, is about her risk to leave Los Angeles to find love in Maui (spoiler alert: the stars align and she stumbles upon her own personal “Aquaman” in a local captain of a whale watching boat.)
Read Dawn’s article here.
Image courtesy of Kay Scanlon
The article, was printed in this weekend’s news stands, and can be viewed on the Los Angeles Times website, and/or Apple News!
Big thank you to art director Jan Molen for opportunity!
Koko Kai Coconut Yogurt Rebrand
Back in the beginning of the year, I had the privilege of rebranding Koko Kai Coconut Yogurt, the only non dairy coconut yogurt made locally in Hawaii. This yogurt is truly delicious.
Koko Kai’s mission is to “craft their coconut yogurts with integrity and principles by sourcing ingredients from fair trade farmers, as well as supporting the environment and our local community by putting people and the planet first.” They also offer a recycling program with their glass jars, and donate to environmental groups that help keep our islands (and planet) cleaner, greener, and pollution free.
My job was to create a new logo/visual identity that would express all the above, as well as show off Koko Kai’s Hawaii roots, appropriately reflect their price point, and stand out against a sea of generic yogurt labels on grocery store shelves.
Reimagining the original Koko Kai logo
It was important to the clients to keep the blue circular “wave” flourish of the original logo. I redrew it by hand to get a more organic texture, then simplified the shape to fit better in a standard circular format. This new shape also lent itself well to a husky coconut icon.
After some consideration, I moved away from the coconut icon (as to not be too redundant with the coconut imagery and/or text) but kept the texture, and saved the coconut idea for a sub-mark later on.
I swapped out the old and crowded Koko Kai font for a customized hand-lettered serif font. This gave Koko Kai an organic, yet established aesthetic, and I kept the text on a slight curve to keep it light and fun. To keep everything cohesive, I applied the same hand drawn texture as the new circular flourish.
With a few more adjustments (and several hours of work later) these updates gave the Koko Kai text more breathing room, while letting their name stand out and speak for itself.
In this final version, I nixed the dancing dots above/below the O’s in Koko Kai (which was originally a suggestion of the three pukas found on a coconut) fearing it would create some grammatical confusion.
The official logo lock-ups look great as a solid wordmark, housed inside of the new “wave” flourish, or stand alone. We also saved a coconut illustration for an alternate badge lock-up, with Koko Kai’s clever “Be Cultured. Eat Yogurt” tagline (which worked out perfectly as an alternate label on the jar lids).
*Generally, I advise against stretching and warping elements of your logo to force fit, but it’s important for the brand to have multiple formats of their final logo for various situations. In this instance, Koko Kai’s primary logo lock-up is in a carefully crafted horizontal format, that fits best on their long format labels. The secondary “stacked” lock-up is for times when space is limited, or more vertically/circular formatted. Sometimes you gotta break the rules a little…
The clients also wanted to stick with something close to their original blue, but I warmed it up just a little, and complimented it with a creamy off-white, and a sunshiny yellow.
With a rebranded logo system complete, the only thing left to do was design some new labels that would pop out from the other generally dull and white yogurt containers…
I used a customized version of my “Monstera” leaves illustration as a surface pattern for Koko Kai’s visual identity and label design. Cropped close, it looks a bit abstract, but gives enough organic texture to be cohesive with the logo, and evoke a tropical feeling.
I put the ingredients list on a curve to mimic the waves of the ocean, and sway of palm trees —which worked double duty as a divider to separate elements of the labels for clarity, and flavor distinction.
Currently, Koko Kai offers four original flavors, so we needed four distinct label colors, that would work together as a family, while also leaving room to expand to more flavors in the future.
Photography by Colin F Cross.
It’s so exciting to see Koko Kai’s rebranded jars sitting on actual grocery store shelves. I’m grateful to have worked with Chef Aline and Jon to bring their relaunch to a new level. Wishing them continued success with their new look.
If you live here in Hawaii, find them at a farmers market near you, and a growing selection of grocery stores statewide. Or shop online!
(For real though, its delicious…. go find yourself a jar!)
Editorial illustration for Hawaii Business Magazine
HECO X Hawaii Business Magazine
I’m so excited to share my first editorial illustration with Hawaii Business Magazine in this month’s issue, for a series called Hawaiʻi of Tomorrow, presented by Hawaiian Electric --which “summons the optimistic spirit of practical imagination to think about what Hawai‘i would look like in 2050, with special consideration on the challenges of the coming decades.”
My illustration was created for Part 3: “Revitalizing Communities with Streams and Sunlight.”
My creative process evolved in many ways during this project, but thanks to an amazing team, AD Kelsey Ige and writer Matt Ige, we created a futuristic take on Indigenous systems that have existed for generations. The illustration depicts a literal and metaphorical yellow brick road to bring solar power, water power, and self sufficiency throughout local communities of the future☀️ Read the article online here.
(Predicting the future is tough stuff, but I do know that bowl cuts will never be in or go out of fashion.)
Close up of the completed LFDL mural.
Little Free Diverse Library
Back in November (2021) I spent a weekend painting a little mural on a Little Free Diverse Library (LFDL) at Da Shop, in Kaimuki. Little Free Diverse Libraries house book selections from black, brown, and indigenous authors from local, independent bookstores to amplify and empower diverse voices.
Original concept sketch of the LFDL
My initial plan:
On one side of the box, I was going to paint an elderly woman writing in a book, representing the past (kupuna/ancestor/historian/matriarch/author). Flowing from her pen were colorful abstractions of wisdom, cultural practices, recipes, stories, poetry, philosophies, etc. The patterns and shapes would travel around the back to the opposite side of the box to embrace a young (modern) girl—perhaps a distant, or not so distant, granddaughter—as she reads from the same book, engrossed in all of the rich information. Kupuna’s pen and Keiki’s book are the same color, meant to symbolize the passing down of knowledge. Having each character on either side of the box meant that any reading material inside of the LFDL was shared between them (and subsequently any visitors who took a book or left a book).
Mural reality:
When I arrived on-site and realized how close the LFDL was to the fence and the tree, I had to quickly change my composition. Instead of Kupuna and Keiki living in different realms of space/time on opposite sides of the box, they now exist side by side on the street-facing side of the box —writing and reading together from the same book. (Maybe that’s the universe telling me kupuna and keiki -and the knowledge between them- are meant to be closer than I thought…)
Hopefully the metaphor is still clear, perhaps a little less heady, and more direct for both passers-by and LFDL contributors. I like to think of the pair as stewards of the library and guardians of the books :)
Special thanks to @uprockwoodworks for building the structure, @eeeeee_speedytu and @hifeast for coordinating, @littlefreediverselibraries and @littlefreelibrary for being the inspiration for this initiative, and @dashophnl for housing this very special Little Free Diverse Library!
Escape the Vape HI
Last year I was commissioned to create the visuals for Escape the Vape HI, an anti-vaping campaign targeted at local teens in Hawaii. It finally launched this June, and it’s so crazy to see it come to life with animation and voice actors.
Watch the video above for the final animation, and see below for final stills:
Below is a gallery of final stills from the “creative extensions” aspect of the campaign, which launched across several social media platforms to hit the targeted demographic. In their final form the illustrations were used in Instagram posts, stories, reels, animated gifs and Youtube videos.
See the final illustrations animated on the official instagram account: @escapethevapehi.
Big thanks to Josh, Rachel and Sean for being a great team!
Onomea Chocolate
I’m so excited to team up with Lonohana Chocolate for their launch of Onomea Chocolate! Four brand new flavors of chocolate grown and made locally here in Hawaii. They licensed four of my illustrations last year while in production. It’s so cool to finally see and taste them!
My “I’m Going In” illustration is perfect for their new Lime in the Coconut flavor, and “Kahili Hill” for their Matcha Crunch. “Kamokuna” is on the package for Passion Orange Guava bar (my favorite of the bunch!), and “Waimea Bay” is featured on the Salted Macadamia Nut!
MicroVisions 4 @ WOW x WOW Gallery
I’m excited to be part of another WOW x WOW show! This time MicroVisions 4: “the fourth of our annual group shows of small artworks; this year featuring over 80 international artists and comprising of more than 100 unique pieces. With the maximum size of contributions being limited to 10″ x 10″, and many of the works coming in considerably smaller, this exhibition offers collectors the perfect opportunity to purchase work by a host of phenomenal artists at their most affordable prices.” View online from May 7-May 28, 2021.
“De Nuevo”
10x10” Acrylic, colored pencil and paint marker on wood
2021
This piece was inspired by a photo I took while traveling in Bolivia. As we were driving through town, my eye was drawn to a colorful building with a patchwork paint job that broke up a majority of the previous earth toned buildings. Without slowing down, I rolled my window down and took a quick snapshot of a man standing on a chair painting the building. Upon further inspection, I realized he was actually removing graffiti that had been spray painted up and down the wall. With the odd layering of color, I got the sense that this might be an ongoing game of call and response between the maintenance man and some local mark makers.
Currently available for purchase here.
Kaka'ako Kasuals Slippers
I’m so stoked to finally see the launch of my slipper designs for Kaka'ako Kasuals (a local women owned business🤘) We’ve been sitting on these for such a long time, and they’re finally available for preorder!
Each of the designs I created are inspired by surf spots close to Kaka'ako Kasuals. Point Panic for the dudes, Queens for the ladies, and happy 'Opihi for the keiki —or if the slipper fits, grab one of each!
The women's slipper has lots of fun bold colors with pink/yellow sunset hues, while the men’s design is more subdued, with grays, blues, and little pop of red/orange to push the "panic" theme. For the keiki slippers, I took colors from both the men's/women's to make them fun, unisex, as well as cohesive as a whole collection.
Big mahalo Kiani and Nicole!💛
See below for the a few time lapses of my paint process, and the final illustrations: