Four McKinley teachers were given an opportunity to showcase their art and their talents and hobbies outside of the classroom at Capitol Modern’s Artist Teacher exhibit. The exhibit featured 27 teachers, including MHS teachers Kristi Auyong, Kaui Chun, Eren Star Padilla and Jeffrey Ideta.

The featured teachers were honored to have the opportunity to share their art pieces in the exhibit, and they encourage others to try art if they think it’s how they would like to express themselves.

“You just have to be creative. Creative people are really important in the world,” Padilla said. “Everybody needs to express themselves somehow, whether that’s singing or dancing or talking or writing, even sports or running. Everybody needs an outlet to express themselves, and art is mine.”

Chun’s featured piece is titled “Mo’okū’auhau O Mele,” which translates to “genealogy of music.” The piece is an abstract depiction of musical notes and series of sounds, as well as the spinal cord, which Chun said refers to genealogy in Hawaiian understanding. To create it, he used acrylic paint and red earth from Moloka’i, the birthplace of his grandmother. In using the earth, Chun intended to infuse the spirit of his ancestors into his art.

“Art should be a transformative experience. So therefore, my materials carry a lot of message, like the red earth,” Chun said.

Chun is currently a history teacher, but he is also a professional artist. The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts purchased one of his larger paintings titled “Kahiwa,” which has been featured in many of its exhibitions. He also sells art to other places, such as hotels.

“I’ve sold over $200,000 worth of art over the last 15 years,” Chun said.

Padilla’s featured recycled paper collage, “Fairy Terns,” pictures two of the birds of which the piece is named after against a blue background. Padilla has been making collages throughout the year. She enjoys birdwatching, which was why she decided to create the piece.

“I call myself a bird nerd. They are like the human experience for me,” Padilla said. “They nest, they have families, they look for food, they talk a lot. I just relate to them, and I enjoy watching them.”

Padilla said her family told her that she has been making art since before she could talk. She says that she has been trying to make things ever since she was very little. Her number one passion is painting, and she makes oil paintings, collages, and also does printmaking.

“If [students] ever need art supplies, come talk to us in the art department; we’ll help you,” Padilla said.

Ideta’s piece, “That’s the Ticket!” is a ceramic sculpture of a fantasy animal mix between a giraffe and a horse, which he created as part of a Fantastical Animal project he did with his students where they had to combine characteristics from two or more different animals in their sculptures.

“I mostly work in the classroom/studio so the students can see how I work,” Ideta said in an email interview.

Ideta got his start in ceramics in high school, and he continued doing it throughout college. Ideta creates his pieces in a variety of mediums, including metal, casting, and fabrication, as well as wood. He said that he just uses whatever he has at hand and combines it in his sculptures.

“Art is the most difficult major. Every day you have to be authentic and original,” Ideta said.

Auyong’s acrylic and mixed media piece, “Harmony,” shows a koi fish and a lotus flower in the clouds. She said the reason she decided to create the piece was because she liked drawing skies and recently gained an interest in peace-related things.

“I just want [viewers] to feel at ease when they look at my artwork,” Auyong said.

Auyong enjoyed doing fiber arts in college, but found it took up too much space, so now she mainly does drawing and painting. Auyong has dabbled in art since she was a little kid, and she eventually found it was something she was good at. She graduated from college with an art degree, and after realizing she wanted to teach it, she returned to school for a degree in education. Auyong said that people who are hesitant to do art should just try it.

“You never know until you try things. And it’s always good to try new things, even if you’re scared,” Auyong said. “The only way you can improve is just [to] keep on practicing.”

This story was originally published on The Pinion on December 8, 2023.