Artist: Kalani Tonga

Titles: 

Flowers for Elsie (Acrylic and oil paint pen on paper) 

 About: Every time I see pink flowers, I think of my niece, Elsie, who loved pink and passed away when she was 3 years old. The flowers in this piece were inspired by the “Elsie tree” planted in my mom’s yard that blooms each year to remind us of our Elsie.

In Bloom (Acrylic and oil paint pen on paper)

 About:  I’ve experienced a lot of personal sorrow in the past few years, and my art helps me find joy during difficult times. This piece was created solely to showcase the joy that blooms in my soul as I create.

Ngatu I (Traditional Tongan tapa cloth (ngatu) and ink)

 About: This piece is one of the most traditional Tongan pieces I’ve ever produced. I tend to take traditional Tongan patterns and put a contemporary spin on them, but this piece expresses the simple beauty of the traditional Tongan ngatu.

Ngatu II (Tongan tapa cloth (ngatu) and ink)

 About: This piece layers traditional and contemporary Pacific Island designs on top of a piece of tapa cloth made from pounded mulberry tree bark.

Ngatu III (Tapa cloth (ngatu) and ink)

 About: This piece uses a traditional Tongan kupesi (pattern) with a modern twist.

About the Artist: Kalani Tonga is a hafekasi (biracial Tongan/Swedish) artist and published author living in Midvale, UT. She is the Director of PEAU (Pasifika Enriching Arts of Utah), a nonprofit organization geared towards helping Pacific Islanders and members of marginalized communities develop and monetize their artistic talents. Kalani's artwork is an extension of her "hafekasi weirdness," in that she takes traditional Polynesian patterns and uses them in unusual ways and with a non-traditional color palate. Kalani's artwork was chosen by Walmart to represent the community as a mural in the Millcreek location, and she was one of 30 Utah artists commissioned to participate in the Chase Home Museum’s New Beehive exhibit. The State of Utah purchased her New Beehive piece for its 123 year old private Alice Merrill Horne art collection. Kalani was also recently awarded a fellowship by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. Kalani paints custom pieces by commission and is currently working on several projects for upcoming art exhibits.