Large-scale murals coming to UH Maui College through community-driven art project

Maui Public Art Corps, in collaboration with the Maui Historical Society, the County of Maui and University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, has announced a new series of three large-scale murals at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.

Developed through the Hui Moʻolelo program, each mural is inspired by stories rooted in Maui’s unique history, culture and sense of place—interpreted by three acclaimed artists and shaped by community participation.

The artists—Solomon Enos, SEVEN (Eric Finley), and Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx), were selected through a competitive spring Request for Proposals reviewed by a community panel. Each has chosen a moʻolelo (story) from the Hui Moʻolelo archive to guide their creative process, working closely with the storytellers and broader community to co-design the murals. The artworks will be unveiled by June 30, 2025.

Jocelyn Romero Demirbag, senior director of development, Maui Nui at the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, said the murals will remind students and faculty that “our stories matter” and that the campus can be a place for cultural connection.

Meet the artists

Solomon Enos, an Oʻahu-based artist known for fusing ancestral wisdom with futuristic narratives, has selected the story of Uncle “Gaby” Gouveia and Pualani Enos. “There is a quintessential Maui flavor of sweetness, and both deep and broad cultural immersion,” said Enos. “From fighting chickens with boxing gloves to Uncle Gaby being invited to play catcher by the Kepani Uncle, to the advocacy for Hawaiian language—all the bases covered, home run!”

Eric Finley (SEVEN), a former educator turned professional muralist and illustrator, draws inspiration from the story of Lahaina’s Louis Garcia III and Kaliko Storer, as collected through the Hui Moʻolelo: Lahaina partnership with Lahaina Restoration Foundation. “This project is an opportunity to explore the deep human-nature relationship through storytelling and visual expression. I plan to collaborate with the community through poetry workshops that inform the final mural,” said SEVEN.

On May 10, 2025, Maui Public Art Corps will host a free community songwriting workshop to inform the mural inspired by Kaliko Storer and Louis Garcia III. The event, led by musician Sara Jelley, will take place from 12 to 2 p.m. at ProArts Playhouse in Kīhei.

Jay Gilleard (Cbloxx), a UK-born, internationally recognized muralist and sculptor, has chosen two stories to inspire their mural: one from Anuhea Yagi and Hōaka Delos Reyes, and the other from Nicolita Garces and Ashley Ancheta Galacgac. “I am particularly excited by the intersection of gender identity and healing,” Gilleard said. “My concept integrates a carved stone Mahu figure within a Maui landscape—honoring both permanence and evolution.”

Maui residents and organizations are invited to contribute to the project through workshops, community hikes, or other forms of collaboration. Honoraria are available for facilitators.

For more information or to get involved, email kelly@mauipublicart.org or visit mauipublicart.org/events.