I was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, and have always had an interest in the natural sciences. I majored in biotechnology and minored in art at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I took art classes during college as a reprieve from the science-heavy courses that made up my major. After graduating I received a certificate in science illustration from California State University, Monterey Bay. I completed internships drawing extinct Hawaiian birds at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, illustrating exhibits at the Bishop Museum, and creating graphics at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

​I currently reside in Hilo and transitioned to creating fine art of indigenous and endemic Hawaiian wildlife. Paintings are completed in oil or acrylic and I enjoy the freedom of expression that comes with creating paintings of my own. I take great care to make sure that my paintings represent Hawaiian wildlife accurately and tend to avoid depicting non-native species. I spend many hours along the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea taking pictures and video of native birds and plants. I've also used the Panaewa Zoo, Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, and Maui Ocean Center to gather references that would be difficult to obtain in the wild.

The underpainting of each piece is a combination of modeling paste and acrylic mixed together. The mixture is then applied to the surface, usually a wood panel, then sanded down. The result is an underpainting with interesting textures and patterns. Acrylic or oil paint is then used to complete the detailed final painting.

My work can currently be found at the Volcano Art Center Gallery on the Big Island.

Contact

rmojiri@gmail.com