Art, and the ocean, are for everyone. That was the message North Shore surf artist Hilton Alves shared with Kanoelani Elementary School last month.
Nearly 800 students, teachers and community members took part in the Surf Art Kids mural that was completed one month before Alves was set to begin his 101 Perfect Waves International Mural Project.
The first two murals of the project will feature the world’s largest surf art mural at 1320 Kalani St. in Kalihi, and the second will grace a wall at the Museum de Afro in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Surf Art Kids is designed to heighten children’s environmental awareness and foster a respect and love for the ocean through art. Kanoelani’s new wall is the 14th such mural in Hawaii. The piece depicts a familiar ocean scene in Hawaii, consisting of a colorful sunset, a perfect wave and an underwater cave. Alves allowed the keiki to finish the mural by adding their own favorite sea creatures to the wall.
Principal Stacy Kunihisa praised the Brazilian-born artist’s work and his efforts to reach children: “Our motto is, ‘We is greater than me,’ and we’re just trying to combat bullying and make sure that everybody feels like it’s a place where they belong.”
