AARON KAI

AARON KAI

Kamehameha Schools - Hawai‘i Campus | Class of 2007

Career: Artist

It all began when Aaron was four years old. Determined to draw like his older siblings, he would borrow his sister’s art supplies and let his creativity run free through a stroke of a brush. Throughout his school years, when other subjects were looking down, art was always looking up. His mother encouraged him, classmates reacted to his abilities, and Aaron never stopped practicing.

After graduating from Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i campus in 2007, Aaron moved to San Francisco to study film. After a series of freelancing work, he found a job at a law firm working in the copy center. Still very passionate about art, Aaron would bring his sketchbook and computer to work, drawing and creating graphics in his downtime.

He started to post his work on Instagram, attend art shows, and take marketing into his own hands by creating hand-drawn sticker labels to share. Still working at the law firm, he sold his first painting for the value of his monthly rent. Shortly after, Aaron would make a pivotal, mental decision and never look back.