Artist: Kalani Tonga Title: Slow Evolution Material: Acrylic on canvas Size: 24 x 24 inches Price: $425 About the artwork: This piece was produced a little over a year after the artist's husband unexpectedly passed away. It denotes the symbolic slow evolution of fitting the pieces of her life back together to make something beautiful and whole, but is set against the dark beauty of her grief. 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 recently 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 paints custom pieces by commission and is currently working on several projects for upcoming art exhibits.
