Art. ʻĀina. Pilina. Magic.
Aloha mai kākou! ʻO Avalon koʻu inoa, no Waikōloa mai au. My name is Avalon Dawn Paradea. I was raised in and continue to reside in Waikōloa, Hawaiʻi.
Like any human, I am a lot of different people all wrapped into one. Imma do my best to be both thorough and concise when I say:
I am a genderliminal (they/ them), neurodivergent synesthete of European descent/ haole who’s family settled in Hawaiʻi in the mid 90s. I am an ʻāina-based artist, working consciously with natural components both locally foraged and carefully sourced elsewhere. My visual art, poetry, writings, and studies focus on themes such as human and more-than-human pilina (relationships), queer identity, ancestral connections, personal and community healing, and the reigniting of Kanaka ʻŌiwi and other Indigenous knowledge systems. Creative engagement can radically change how we connect to ourselves and the world around us.
I hold a bachelor’s in anthropology with a minor in ethnobotany and a master’s in environmental science. I have experience in fields such as archaeology, ethnography, educational outreach, and environmental conservation. Hike with me only if you want to stop every ten feet to learn about yet another cool plant.
When I am not busy making kapa or working outdoors, I can be found honing my skills in spellcraft and divination, cuddling my ancient cat, learning new oli, studying old maps, playing harp, cooking ʻono kine grindz, and scheming up ways in which I may subvert the rusty shackles of capitalistic colonial dogma (watch out, patriarchy: my cat is helping).
Please contact me if you are interested in art workshops, collaborations, field research, commissions, or other activities that may be up my alley!
