Shar Tuiasoa
School: Kailua High School
Career: Artist, Founder of Punky Aloha Studios
Wavy Polynesian hair. Curvaceous hips. Dark brown skin. Those are just some of the key details that artist Shar Tuiasoa captures in her work. Born and raised in Kailua, Shar grew up with two surfers as parents. Her love for the sport and its Polynesian roots is evident through her work today; most of Shar’s art features beautiful, modern Polynesian women surfing the waves and enjoying the island lifestyle.
Growing up around an artistic mom, she always felt encouraged to let her creativity flow. However, pursuing a career as a full-time freelance artist was not an easy choice. Shar constantly worried that people would not like her work or that she wouldn’t be able to support her family. But rather than submitting to her fears, Shar decided to take a leap of faith and never look back.
Since founding Punky Aloha Studios, Shar has collaborated with multiple local businesses, such as Mānoa Chocolate, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Foodland, while also working with big, global companies like Apple and Pixar. She continues to make art, not letting her fears push her down.
Q + A with Shar Tuiasoa
+ What inspires you to create the work you do?
I think I create the world and the women and the characters I create because that's the world I want to live in. The way I view Hawai'i has always been in this sort of fantasy world. I just want things to be really bright and fun and happy. The beautiful curvaceous women I create, that is the women I always knew. I wasn't seeing that enough. I wanted to see more of it. I wanted to feel liked I recognized what I was looking at. I wanted children to recognize themselves in the characters I created.
+ How important is it for an artist to be vulnerable?
One of the good things about art school is that you're constantly putting your art work up on the wall and having it kind of ripped apart. All of your heart is on the wall and being critiqued by all these people, and it really prepares you... That's a part of creativity. It's a give and take. Do what you can and put the best design work out there, but you have to look at people's critcism as just a way to help build better artwork.
