LITMUS
When you hear the word “indigo,” the first thing that usually comes to mind would be a pair of jeans. Or at least that’s what I think of. We all know indigo as a color, but Yuji and Yoshi from Litmus in Shonan, Japan, have a lot of the answers as to what else indigo is. The pair work with natural indigo, which comes from plants that contain it in their leaves. Read more…

DAVID CHOE
Multi-media is an understatement. David Choe could manipulate a pile of wolf shit into a treasured piece of art. From watercolors, oils and acrylics to photographs, pencil drawings and sculptures, South Bay, LA’s Choe has taken himself from an artist from the ground (you could say gutter) up to one of the most sought after artists of this generation. Pulling inspiration from graphic novels and graffiti, Choe’s art has an edge to it that is often imitated but never duplicated. His work is unmistakable at first sight. In a word, his art and his persona could be described as raw. Read more…

RENE MATTHYSSEN
The first time I saw Rene Matthyssen was at a skateboard contest at Fort Shafter Military Base in the ‘90s. It was hot and I remember closing my eyes every time the Hawaiian trade winds blew, which wasn’t very often. The parking lot that the obstacles were set up on was on the rough side, but somehow Rene ollied off a bank and did a rail slide on the side of a platform that was 10-feet tall and landed it on the asphalt like butter. Read more…

REAL TALK WITH MIKE POOLEY
In terms of music careers, moving to an island smack dab in the middle of the Pacific some 5,000 miles from the nearest continental body of land is probably not the smartest move. Luckily, rock and roll ain’t about smart moves. The serendipitous happenings that lead the Highways to the islands have become their bond, and instead of treating their separation from the industry as a disability, the band uses the isolation to take a more clear-headed approach to creating. Read more…

LUCKY OLELO
As tattoo artist Lucky Olelo unlocks the door to his newly acquired studio space in Downtown, Honolulu, he warns me that, “It still needs a lot of work. The space isn’t ready for the public.” And with a humble smile, he leads me from a dimly lit second floor hallway into a glowing 1800 square foot open space with new flooring and painted brick walls lined with large character building windows. Lucky is not in a rush to officially open the spot for business. He’s the type that will wait ‘til it’s ready– no sooner…no later. Read more…

MIKE GIANT
For all intents and purposes Mike LeSage’s alias “Giant” fits him perfectly. He is mythically tall, a lowbrow legend, and he has most definitely conquered worlds. A graffiti pioneer, respected tattooist, the founder of Skullz Press, an ordained minister with a foothold in the fashion world as co-creator of REBEL8 clothing, and a notable fine artist who shows his work at galleries around the globe, Mike Giant is a major figure in so many senses whom I have loved for a long time. Read more…

CLONES OF THE QUEEN
Combine the musical and personal maturity of singer Ara Laylo, the openness of experienced guitarist Paul Bajcar and the enthusiasm of first-time band member and synth player Matthew McVickar…put them all in a musical forefront where none of them has gone before, and you’ve got Clones of the Queen. Read more…

IS NOT SURFING
In the most non-professional way, Warren Smith is a Professional Surfer. He doesn’t do contest. He’s never been to Hawai‘i. He travels to unique destinations because he gets paid to do so. If he happens to find surf, then he surfs. Iceland. Russia. India. Barcelona. Chile. Space. Japan. Instead of chasing photos in Bali or any coast facing the South Pacific this summer, he chose to power fade through New York City. Read more…

THE WORK AND NON-WORK OF MOEDIGS
Graphic designer/illustrator Maurice Radke remembers how excited he used to get when he printed anything bigger than tabloid. Now living in West LA via Kaimuki, he prints entire walls for clients. Moe or Moedigs as referred to by friends, knows that the scale and visual appeal of his designs are only part of what makes them successful. The true test is how effectively each design can communicate a client’s message. Read more…

LOVE FOR HI-808
By now the Blue Scholars established that they got love for the 808. The 808 has been showing love back by pushing their EP called Oof! to the top of iTunes hip-hop downloads and packing each of their live shows in Hawai‘i. Read more…